Notar – EP

Ready to Charge

Notar, a classically trained trumpet player from New York, dropped  his self-titled EP and steered  listeners to an angry world where the irony between electric guitars and violins meet his swift style of rapping. Although he has solid roots in jazz, his EP features him venturing into the world of rap; and to quite the surprise, he’s not bad.

Notar’s talent and quick tongue forces the listener to pay attention to his lyrical content. His rap career started when he met Adam Duritz of the Counting Crows, who immediately signed him to his label Tyrannosaurus Records. The five-track EP is a precursor to his debut album Devil’s Playground due out in March.

The repetition of the simple lyrics make the EP easy to decipher. No tricks, no hidden meanings, just straightforward, humble rhymes that curiously tease the rest of his work. He’s aggressive, honest and blunt in his delivery. The choruses in each of the songs are catchy and easy to listen to. The simplicity of these first five tracks set Notar up for commercial success.

Each of the tracks on the EP showcase his versatility, although some other choruses are too simple for how hard his verses hit.  In standout track “Stranger,” Notar explains the life of a soldier overseas in the military. He describes feelings of loneliness, managing anxiousness and being away from family for an extended period of time.

Overall the EP served its purpose: It introduced the artist and sparked interest.