Nostalgiac is a Scottish hip hop producer who decided to create the 6 track project “44 WPR” whilst on lockdown in Edinburgh due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. The producer explained that the EP consists of some unreleased songs that he had been sitting on for months, as well as some new ones made during the lockdown. The recordings feature some of Nostalgiac’s favorite underground artists, from both the UK and the US, like Badrr, Vega$, Don Rusthol and 2T.
While it is important to applaud artists for their lyrical and vocal dexterity, it is also necessary to give exceptional producers the credit they deserve for transforming records with their magical touch. The last couple of years have been breakthrough ones for several of today’s most exciting artists.
The multiple hip-hop success stories are the result of a healthy combination of skills on the mic, the ability to keep fans engaged and production provided by some of the most talented names behind the boards. In 2020, many hip-hop producers are bound to take the world by storm as they whip up enchanting beats in the studio.
One of these will no doubt be Nostalgiac. His signature sound—which is a blend of shimmering keys, thumping percussion and resonant bass lines – makes it easy for rappers with lyrical or melodic flows to create groovy narratives out of. On the opening track, “Outbreak”, Nostalgiac himself carves out a soulful motif atop a series of skittering hi-hats and a slow-burning soundscape.
“360+5” featuring Badrr, has a throwback noir vibe played through a cinematic lens. Despite what middle-class heads may tell you, hip-hop isn’t some static genre that reached its peak in the ’90s and has only been going downhill since.
It’s a creative art form, and like all art, it evolves and changes as time goes on. Given its nature, obviously a lot of these stylistic changes come in the form of shifts in lyrical content and delivery. Of equal importance, though, are the beats: the timbre, energy and rhythms that drive and define the tone of the tracks.
Like the track that preceded it, “9am in Delhi” continues to bring a retro cinemascope sound, only this time with a Southern Asian twist. It’s not hard to see why rappers might go to lengths to harness the power of Nostalgiac.
Check out the distinctive, atmospheric-rich beats to be found on this EP. While, clearly, much of what makes “Deep” an impacting listening experience, comes from the voices of the featured artists, Vega$ and Don Rusthol, it’s also no coincidence that Nostalgiac is behind the boards.
Nostalgiac brings a growling bass and a dark, hard-edged beat to “HWT”, featuring 2T. The Scottish based producer typifies a certain breed of modern DIY hip-hop producer, creating tracks that walk a fine line between retro cinematic groove and underground futuristic electronics.
Which can be heard in all of its glory on “Cheated Myself”, featuring Don Rusthol. Nostalgiac sounds like one of the more exciting production names on the underground hip-hop circuit right now, and he seems to have his sights set on quietly surprising everyone as he aims for global domination.
OFFICIAL LINKS: SPOTIFY – SOUNDCLOUD – APPLE – INSTAGRAM
