Comatose Red Ivy – “Time Machine” – atmospheric and soulful, emo-styled rap

It’s hard to narrow down Comatose Red Ivy’s sound, as she thrives off this. Throughout her rise through the underground ranks, she’s been comfortable diving into nostalgic ’90s hardcore, spoken word, freestyle, and now startlingly atmospheric and soulful emo-styled rap, on the single “Time Machine”. An all-around renaissance person, she has been shaking things up for a while now. Comatose Red Ivy fills the space that has been left open by a handful of her controversial peers, not necessarily because of the type of music she creates, but the attitude that forms the foundation of what she does, and why she does it.

For those still not familiar with her, Comatose Red Ivy is a transgender rapper, singer and songwriter. She began her music career exactly on October 16 2020 at 5:43am, after being poisoned by whom she calls, her ‘ex-not-boyfriend’, and left to die. She lives in both the real and fictional worlds, surrounded by alter egos, split personalities and a vast number of emotional altering characters who interact with her existence. At least that was the case up until recently.

There was always a refreshing, don’t give a fuck, do what I want to do and say what I want to say perspective in her music that has been missing from so much music in general. While that may not be everyone’s cup of tea, there is no doubt that Comatose Red Ivy is so good at what she does that listeners find themselves interested in easing into the world she allows them to see. However, with her recent releases, she has become more thoughtful and introspective.

“Time Machine” reaches the apex of that introspective modus operandi. In contrast to her previous highly energetic release, “23 JORDAN SALUTE” – a tribute track to Michael Jordan and Jordan Legacy, Comatose Red Ivy dials down the tempo and tone, for a downtempo tune filled with the feels. “Days slip away. Time goes on. Never get to go back. So make every memory last. Each memory goes by so fast. But now we going back. Got our chance to go. This time, it’s time. Time machine for us to go back,” she raps, in a singsong style.

Comatose Red Ivy shows off how actually impressive a songwriting talent she is. She is dissecting the human condition, which is what most artists hope to achieve, but does it on such a visceral level, that her perspective is crystal clear. It helps that she no longer freestyles, but actually spends time constructing her narratives from the foundation upwards. People are getting more raw emotions and vulnerability from Comatose Red Ivy, adding to the already unique personality she exudes.

Wrapped up in sadboi-styled guitars and pianos, as well as a steady drumbeat, “Time Machine” builds an emotional and hypnotic atmosphere on which Comatose Red Ivy weaves her nostalgic narrative. There is something ethereal about the music which ebbs and flows behind the dialogue. Comatose Red Ivy has an uncompromising artistic vision, and a strong desire to tell her stories, which inevitably captivates and intrigues.