Royal Holland got tired of people not knowing or seemingly not caring about music from amazing musicians who don't have the marketing power to make you want to get their music. Often times, the music being posted is free, it only costs a small amount of your time, and could change the way you look at creativity. Support the ones close to you and they will sprout wings. Royal Recommends is a way to showcase these bands.
Eugenius / Silent Tongues are the projects that define, in his words, the two sides of Phillip Smith's brain. Listening to his recent 11/11/16 release Creature of Habit, Habits of Creatures I can see what he means by this.
On his Facebook page, he professes his love of prog, soul, falsetto, experimental sounds and hip-hop. My friends, what he has created out of these varied influences is very compelling. I definitely liken his talent and production values to Kid Cudi, and Aesop Rock.
Listening to him sing about listlessness, and his loner ways, truly recalls Cudi's 'Man in the Moon' for me. Smith has written songs that are really varied in style, each a piece of art in it's own right. Collected together in such an interesting way (basically splitting the release between his Eugenius material and the Silent Tongues material - Silent Tongues which has now become a true band thanks to some other musicians supporting Smith in these wonderful pursuits)
I honestly cannot recommend this album enough. It's got surprises around every corner. Never loses steam, is appropriately creepy and aching. It's gonna make you feel. I'm pretty excited about seeing his realization of Silent Tongues as a full band project. It's going to be something spectacular.
As one of the most promising hip-hop artists in the city who is truly carrying this torch, I hope you will give his music a chance. I truly hope you'll give him some money so he can keep creating wildly and freely. It's only going to get even better from here.
It's pretty difficult to pick one of these tunes to start with, but let's say “The Faintest Light”. Listen HERE. It's a moody, soulful track full of some glorious production. Low strings over top click beats. Smith's vocals shining a faint light overtop of the gloom.
Catch Silent Tongues with a side of Eugenius on Friday, February 3rd at Northside Tavern.
