Listening to their solo work, it isn’t hard to notice that rappers Awon and Dephlow, from Virginia, are musical soulmates. From their philosophy and opinions to their sonic influences, they seem cut from the same cloth. As luck may have it, both artists realized this too and came together to create an EP as spectacular as we could have hoped for.
The 7 tracks on Sleep is the Cousin of Death play as a homage to the golden era of hip-hop, specifically the days of the boom-bap style. The first thing many may notice as they dive into the record is the stunning production by Phoniks. Over crisp snares and thick bass-drums, lush jazz and funk harmonies flood the mix, making just enough room for Awon and Dephlow’s rapping. The resulting effect is a smooth and mellow wall of sound that is both groovy and immensely catchy. As they deliver their blistering punchlines and braggadocious quips, the rappers also pay close attention to adding melody in their syllables (most prominently on Streams of Consciousness), all while maintaining their thrillingly dexterous flow. A listen is recommended to all fans of hip-hop, but especially those who are fond of the classics.
Favorite Tracks: Street Jazz, Price is Right, Streams of Consciousness
Track List
1. Street Jazz (Prod. Phoniks) 02:34
2. Real Talk (Prod. Phoniks) 02:38
3. Price Is Right (Prod. Phoniks) 03:16
4. State Of The Art ft. Halfcut (Prod. Phoniks) 03:32
5. Streams Of Consciousness (Prod. Phoniks) 03:37
6. The Realest (Prod. Phoniks) 03:00
7. Time Is The Teacher (Remix) (Prod. Phoniks) 03:55
Related Links
Awon & Dephlow’s Website
Awon & Dephlow on Facebook
Awon & Dephlow on Twitter
Awon & Dephlow on Instagram
Awon & Dephlow on YouTube
Awon & Dephlow on Spotify