“The Karman Line” is the debut mixtape from the Astronaut Heroics collective, and marks the return of London-based Hip Hop Lyricist SHA¥ Khushrenada. Influenced by Japanese culture, in particular Japanese Sci-fi and Japanese Animé, Khushrenada itself is actually taken from the surname of a character from a Japanese Animé, Gundam Wing. Other influences also include Outlaw Star and Cowboy Bebop. The name for the mixtape “The Karman Line” is, SHA¥ Khushrenada explains, “runs off a space theme. It represents the boundary between the earth’s atmosphere and outerspace”.

Featuring production from Astronaut Heroics’ producers Toby Kenobi and Trebor Llams, their work on the mixtape complements the wordplay and lyrics on the tape. This collective takes you on a journey from Soul to Grime to Hip Hop, giving you a truly eclectic listening experience. One of the leading tracks from The Karman Line is ‘Candles’, featuring one of Astronaut Heroics’ members Poetic P. SHA¥ puts rhymes to an ambient and spacious, spacy Hip Hop beat, delivering metaphors that represent the positive vibes that he is trying to surround himself with.

‘Third Degree’ produced by Toby Kenobi opens up the mixtape, and is a monstrous trap banger on which SHA¥ delivers fast-flowing rhymes on a bass-heavy, piercing instrumental. From the present to the past, ’10’s’ and ‘Got It’, both produced by Toby once again, are influenced by old skool Hip Hop, the latter featuring raw, slinking Hip Hop production, and draws comparisons to Tyler, The Creator and Frank Ocean’s ‘She’. SHA¥ Khushrenada displays a range of flows as he get sin his zone, lyrically depicting how he catches the vibes. ‘Bronze Helm’ is another great track, consisting of what sounds like traditional, African drums and soulful background sampled vocals, SHA¥ showcases his wordsmithery. Trebor Llams takes the helm for the production here. Trebor also produces ‘Emergence’, a thumping, R&B/Soul driven song featuring singer Jazz on the chorus.

‘Cry’ is the half-way mark of the mixtape, and drawing more comparisons to the great legends of Hip Hop, specifically Mos De and Talib Kweli, known collectively as Black Star. ‘Cry’ re-introduces the Soul, SHA¥ showcasing his storytelling skills, taking a trip down memory lane with reminiscent lyrics, rhyming about the struggles growing up, and that has seemingly instilled much knowledge and shaped him in to who he is. SHA¥ delivers rapid-flowing bars over a dark and gritty beat by Toby Kenobi on ‘Don’t Stop’, a fusion of Grime and Trap. SHA¥ Khushrenada, having grew up in Stratford, East London, saw the growth of Grime, and he seems at home on this track. This is one of the more edgy, menacing tracks on the mixtape, with a simplistic yet effective and catchy hook.

“Interlude For Nujabes” produced by Daily Bread is a dreamy Hip Hop tune featuring fantastic flows from SHA¥ who switches it up and alternates the pace of the flows. Singer Wilz Taylor, another member of Astronaut Heroics, joins SHA¥ on ‘Winter Mornings’, as he injects R&B vibes in to the track. Wilz cites his influences as Michael Jackson and Donnell Jones, and provides harmonious vocals in a soothing, low octave. SHA¥ rhymes on the soulful groove, boom bap influenced beat from Toby Kenobi, who laces the beat with a bass riff that is a throwback to The Roots, as well as tight drums and percussion. The lyrics are yet again reminiscent, building a sense of nostalgia or the listener, even the production rolls back the years. The final track is called ‘End To End’, and produced by Trebor Llams, is a string-heavy, piercing Hip Hop track, and on which SHA¥ delivers introspective lyrics that re-unite all areas in London, that all share the same struggles.

Each and every member of Astronaut Heroics brings something different to their debut mixtape “The Karman Line”, a space themed project that leaves you floating along with, each track transitioning smoothly. The producers Toby Kenobi and Trebor Llam both provide differing production styles to create varying and eclectic sounds. From R&B Singers (Wilz Taylor) to Poetic P and SHA¥ Khushrenada (Rapper/MC), there is no genre that they can’t invade with their immense talents. SHA¥ Khushrenada cites A$AP Rocky and Travis Scott as influences on his vocal effects and structure for Trap influenced tracks and The Clipse for his lyrical delivery. SHA¥’s more personal tracks are influenced by Kanye West’s early material as well as beat selection. SHA¥ also states Lupe Fiasco and MF Doom to Pharrell and Isaac Hayes as major influences on his music, so he really has studied the great, making him an all-rounded artist and a unique hybrid of many genres. Astronaut Heroics soon plans to launch as a label too, so this is just the beginning for a unique collective that may soon lead the way in music. Astronaut Heroics’ futuristic sound and Hip Hop throwbacks means they have one foot in the past with the other firmly future.

SHA¥ Khushrenada:
facebook.com/SHA-Khushrenada-153709371308313/
twitter.com/shaykhushrenada
soundcloud.com/shaykhushrenada
instagram.com/shay_khushrenada/
shaykhushrenada.com/

Twitter:
twitter.com/astroheroics
twitter.com/WilzOnline
twitter.com/djmanlikep

astronautheroics.tumblr.com/

 

 
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