One of my favorite genres inside of Hip-Hop is the lo-fi, jazzy hip-hop, and that’s exactly what amir bilal delivers on his new EP XVIII. With its incredibly brief length of 12 mins, amir’s unique lo-fi and minimalist sound he’s built up is extremely satisfactory. Throughout the EP, amir doesn’t seem conflicted in the sort of direction he wants to go. The sampling features these soul and jazz samples which are the complete opposite of choppy, which are integrated in a very vibe-y way.
Thematically, this short EP covers a lot of ground and is a beautiful curtain reveal displaying an array of topics including spirituality, wisdom, love, family relations, and plenty of more introspective aspects of the human experience. amir gives the listener insight into the lessons that he’s been taught, exposing his psyche and what makes him “him”.
With a heavy supporting cast featuring CRUZIN, 98PREEM, and ZekeUltra, the lyrics are very conscious and concise. Every single instrumental on here is heart touching and complements the intimate lyrics perfectly. The production is simple and good enough to create the tranquilizing atmosphere of this EP. amir bilal is one of those artists to keep an eye on as he continues to elevate his sound but for now, stream the new EP down below.