Astro Physikz: “ValleyVibez” – a refreshing glimpse of an unusual talent!
Astro Physikz is a 19 year old artist traveling the world. Experiencing life for all it has to offer. He says he is small town guy who grew up in El Centro, California on the East Side. He went to Washington Elementary and Wilson Junior High for a year or two. Astro Physikz has dropped the EP “ValleyVibez”, and before I even heard a single not, I was impressed…by his motto; “I think. I do. It’s done.” It pretty much sums up his style of music too. What is clear from its opening moments onwards, is that this EP is a blast to listen to. One can imagine the huge smile on the rapper’s face as he stands in front of a studio mic, recording these tracks in pure delight. It is clear just how deeply Astro Physikz enjoys making his music, and that’s makes it super easy listening to this record as well.
The young rapper is without pretense, and he seems completely sure of what do without it. He leans into his tracks with surefooted steady flow and no unnecessary pyrotechnics. Yet he still infuses enough entertainment value into “ValleyVibez” to make it a worthwhile listen.
Much of this is the product of what could be his most obvious and widely-applauded gifts as a rapper: his dazzling storytelling and easygoing flow. Astro Physikz excels in this regard throughout the record, and some of his cinematic-type tales, particularly on the songs “Licks” and “We Live Rough,” are simply knocked out of the park.
Other key strengths of the record lie in its infectious lyricism and its creatively lush production. Fueled by smooth organic sounding, alternative beats he is so eager to keep as standard in his material, yet peppered with the modernist school of rhyme he is clearly so comfortable spitting, “ValleyVibez” is an profound, endearingly rough-around-the-edges experience with soulful heart at its core and a witty, caustic lyricism worn loosely about its sleeve.
The weed song “Let’s Blaze It” is about as intoxicating as the herb itself, while “Like Soap” and “How I’m Feeling” serves as a brief but skillful introduction to the rapper’s world of emotional honesty. For the uninitiated, Astro Physikz’s style might seem a tad downtempo – and truthfully, it is.
However, his talent is rooted precisely in that hypnotic, almost nonchalant flow. Utilizing consistently evolving rhyme patterns and an emphasis on mood within delivery rather than progressive rhymes, Astro Physikz puts a new twist on the craft of rapping.
At the end of the day, the most important part of listening to music is enjoying it. And when it comes to enjoying a sound, it doesn’t need to be justified or clarified to anyone. Having said that, “ValleyVibez” is a refreshing glimpse of an unusual talent attempting to ascend the slippery slope to the hip-hop hill.
The potential and the ability is plain for all to hear. It will be compelling to see where this 19-year-old will go once he totally hones his craft, and molds the many interesting thoughts on his mind into an even sharper narrative structure.
OFFICIAL LINKS: SOUNDCLOUD – INSTAGRAM – SNAPCHAT
