Freak Scene
Brazilian hip hop artist Karol Conka shares her amazing talents on her debut album Batuk Freak. Produced by Brazilian native Nave, the whole album is filled with EDM beats mixed with Afro-Brazilian percussion. To say these tracks are danceable is an understatement; each instrumental is a party within itself.
“Boa Noite” starts of the album with its pseudo-military drum march snares accompanied by a Portuguese vocal sample and some deep bass. Conka flows beautifully over the beat, speeding up and slowing down to show full control over her craft. Nave manipulates the croons of an old singer, creating an intriguing beat on the track “Vola.” Both the choice of samples and beats by Nave and the unique and interesting vocals of Conka are what keep the songs interesting.
“Gueto” is one of the more diverse songs on the album. The traditional Brazilian drums take center stage on the beat. Nave still includes contemporary touches here and there, but the soul of this song is rooted in the cultural instruments. “Bate A Poeira” is another song that stands out on the album — not for its beat, although it is as brilliant as any other song represented here, but for Conka’s flow on the verses. Conka takes this beautiful language and allows it to flow so eloquently off her tongue.
This album should be shipped with a copy of Rosetta Stone because it is a shame not to know the meaning behind these heartfelt sounding formations of constants and vowels. With the songs sung only in Portuguese, unless you know the language, it’s hard to get attached to the emotional message behind the songs. The vibe of the album is incredible, though. Any hip hop artist would drool over these beats and Conka rocks the mic like a veteran artist.
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