“Mimosa Music 2” — SHOTBOI$ (Local Artist Review)
The New Jersey duo provides a quick shot of intoxicating trap music.
New Jersey is the state equivalent of a frat house. Dirty, too many people for its size, occasionally obnoxious, and filled with drugs. However, when the smoke clears, and the solo cups are picked up, genuine relationships are revealed. Despite the grimy exterior, New Jersey is a state with a vibrant artistic history, especially musically. Englewood is considered by some historians to be the birthplace of hip-hop. Lauryn Hill grew up in East Orange. SZA lived in Maplewood. The list goes on. Standing on the shoulders of Jersey giants, an underground rap scene flourishes online.
SHOTBOI$ are one of these acts. Consisting of rappers BrownBoi Pachino and Spaceman LaBonte, the duo met at Montclair State. Looking for something to do after football practice, they began freestyling. After linking up with local producers, the pair began putting their raps on SoundCloud.
Mimosa Music 2, released on Aug. 24th, 2019, is an intoxicating trap project, worth checking out.
Before I give my opinion on the duo’s latest project, let me give a disclaimer. If you prefer your hip-hop on the lyrical side, don’t like auto-tune, and can’t stand “mumble rap”; this project isn’t for you. If five years of mainstream trap hasn’t convinced you of its artistry, Mimosa Music 2 won’t change your mind. Be a boring old-head somewhere else.
“Moonlight // Notion” (prod. Skress) kicks off the EP with a hazy mood setter. BrownBoi and Spaceman sound like lovesick robots, crooning over a spacey trap beat. The twinkly piano and swirling synths compliment the alien vocals nicely and provide a sip of what’s to come.
“Ozzy Osbourne” (prod. Falsecut) turns the energy up. SHOTBOI$ welcome the rock-star life; girls, money, clothes, drugs and the inevitable burnout. The instrumental delivers euphoric synergy with the autotuned vocals. Spaceman tends to navigate his upper register, while Brownboi’s voice is noticeably deeper. The contrast keeps the songs interesting and shows off great chemistry between the artists.
“Flint” (prod. laptopboy) is P E A K zoomer rap. A definite highlight, this track is loaded with humorous lyrics, delivered on an elevating trap beat. The opening line, “Hey, someone pass me the Juul” immediately makes you laugh. The hook is incredibly addicting. “Muddy cup like I’m sipping out of Flint” perfectly walks the line between insensitive and hilarious, leaning towards the hilarious side. The Ashbury Park reference is an excellent callback to the state.
“Lovato” (prod. Falsecut) and “Trippin’ Interlude” (prod. Ragu) slows things down a bit. The production overflows with Pi’erre Bourne influence. SHOTBOI$’s drunken flow swims through a sea of reverb and wavy basslines. Admittedly, these tracks, while not entirely bad, don’t deliver the same enthralling energy as the rest of the tracklist.
However, “V12” (prod. 3li) recaptures momentum instantly, with the project’s best production. Thumping bassline, groovy high-hats, robotic vocals; one can’t help but dance. SHOTBOI$ ride the beat with unstoppable confidence, driving down the parkway with too much cash to carry. A fantastic track that should be longer.
“Hollywood” is a testament to vocal mixing. The back-tracking creates a cooling echo effect that tickles the brain. The slight audio-panning feels like weed smoke in a basement, floating around barely conscious party guests.
“Polo Bear Pink Pill / Show Goes On” is a spectacular ending. SHOTBOI$ reveal their vulnerable side, with tasteful angst. Missing their exes, they party the night away to forget. The duo sounds like they had too many mimosas, harmonizing over shimmering instrumental.
Mimosa Music 2 is everything great about home-grown Soundcloud rap: accessible, organic, non-stop fun. Occasionally, the creative influences bleed through, like Bladee or Pi’erre Bourne. However, SHOTBOI$ provide their twists to avoid simply ripping off. SpaceMan and BrownBoi have solid chemistry, feeding off each other with tenacity and determination.
Mimosa Music 2 is a stellar soundtrack for any suburban house party, that doesn’t overstay its welcome at short 14 minutes. Perhaps some improvements could be made. SHOTBOI$ could benefit from some story-telling and more focused song topics. But as it stands, Mimosa Music 2 is a substantial project. Impressive enough to impress any trap fan, and certainly better than any focused-group big label pop trap.
8.0/10
