Back On My
Square
By
Bunitdwn
Back On My Square is the debut release from Bunitdwn, an
emcee out of Luton. He both produced and wrote the EP himself, which was
released back at the end of September. Now I know there may be a lot of you out
there that might not be aware of this guy so, the best way you can get a feel
for what he is all about is to join me on a deep dive into the EP.
So, let’s get into it…
It all kicks off with Dnt Jls Me, which hits with a
heavy drum beat over which are these chilled keys which gives this one a
laid-back vibe but, with enough bounce to get your head nodding. There is no
haste on this from Bunitdwn but, a sense that there is a passion for the Hip
Hop sound. It gives you a window into what he is all about and how he sees the
world around him and music scene. You get the feeling that this one is saying
to you not to judge him for his views because this is just how he sees things,
and we don’t all have to agree all the time. Plus, with the name drops in this
one, you just know this guy has his finger on the pulse of what is real Hip
Hop. Next up, we move on to Get Money and here operatic vocal samples
back another solid beat, giving this a more head nod vibe but, with an element
that makes you makes you want to take note of the vocals. Here we find Bunitdwn
taking aim at the capitalist economy and the things that people do to make
money. Some people do what they do just to survive, while others do it for
power and wealth. We live in a society where the rich get richer off of the
backbreaking work of the majority. So, it is not surprising that people try to
find ways to make a little extra that the powers that be can not take from them
but, it is a harsh world where it is best to believe in who you are and not
trust the words of those who are trying to control you with fear.
Helix brings a more LoFi sound with a chilled beat
that is backed by melodic piano vibes, making you want to close your eyes and
let the sound and words flow through you. This one speaks on depth and the
realness with which Bunitdwn speaks on the mic. Its all about listening and
taking in those words and understanding their strength and their message.
Because too many times words are heard. But not listened to, and that leads to
things being twisted and misunderstood. So, the message here is not to twist things,
like the shape of the DNA double Helix but, to just see them for what they are,
because when you twist things, the real meaning is lost. From there we move on
to Keyless Entry where bass, piano vibes and sampled vocals give this
one a real soulful vibe. This one is one of those unapologetic tracks that
looks at love, the connection between two people and how it can have its ebbs,
and it’s flows, challenges that test your resolve to the extreme, but all this
touches you deeply in a way that you never forget. We often think that someone
can have the key to your heart, but in truth, the right one needs no key as you
allow them in freely. In fact, this could also be a love song for Hip Hop
itself. If you are one of those who have been touched by the music, the
culture, then you will know that it can also touch you in that way too…
As we move into the final two tracks of the EP, the
penultimate track is Trauma Bonding. Organ sounds and a pounding beat
bring a sound that tweaks your nerves as it hits you to the core. The subject
of this track is not something that I have never heard covered before. Trauma
Bonding is where an emotional attachment can lead to an abusive relationship,
often where people have a shared trauma. This is something that I can associate
with as I have seen this happen to someone close to me and so there is the possibility
that I may miss the mark a little on this one but, hearing it described in such
a way by Bunitdwn does give you an insight that few of us will ever get when we
think of this situation. This one you just have to feel to really understand.
The final track is Junction 11 where horns mix with another heavy beat
to get your head nodding. This one seems to serve as an outro with the tracks
consisting simply of a conversation between friends, reminiscing over times
gone by and where they are now. It kind of just grounds you in the now,
reminding you that it is so valuable to surround yourself with the right kinds
of friends.
When you are not sure what to expect from a release, it can
often catch you unawares with the depth of the feeling that is put into the
music that you hear, and Back On My Square could be one of those for you, I
know that for me it did have quite a deep feeling to it. There was this air
that there was a passion and desire to bring some strong stories and messages
to the table, ones that make you really think when you hear them. You also
really feel the passion he has for the Hip Hop sound; you can really feel the
roots of real Hip Hop music embedded in every track.
Bunitdwn has a very
solid and intellectual base with his wordplay, keeping things relatable and
communicating everything in a way where you can hear every word and feel the
depth of the emotion contained within. This gives such a great foundation for
what is to come, whether he keeps his production and writing on a solo basis or
if he decides to work alongside other producers; the future really does look
exciting for him.
In his promo he states that Bunitdwn, or Burn It Down, is
pretty much his sentiments towards the music industry, political landscape, Mic
Booths, freestyle cyphers, etc, and you can really feel that in here. What I
also liked was the fact that there is no ego here, he does what he does just
for the love of Hip Hop and that is something I have a lot of respect for. I
mean, we all like to make money but, that’s not the main reason we do what we
do.
I do feel that this is one EP that you need to give the time
to. Have a listen and see if you get a vibe anywhere close to what I did.
The only thing I did find was that I needed to tweak my
volume sound equalisation as my headphones seemed to find the sound a little
heavy at times, which is probably just the limitation of what I am using but,
that did not take away from my enjoyment of the EP.
Back On My Square is out everywhere now and my huge thanks
to Bunitdwn for giving me the chance to bring you something new.
Till Next Time,
See Ya.
Steve.
LINKS
Grab your copy here:
https://bunitdwn.bandcamp.com/album/back-on-my-square
One link for Bunitdwn:
VIDEOS
Dnt Jls Me
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