St. Geo makes a statement regarding the current state of reality. By reflecting on his past and present, he collects various aspects that make up the essence of his identity, and unleashes a ruminative work of experimental hip-hop.
His new album STEAM, tampers with the core hip-hop sound and projects his vision of hip-hop in a holistic approach, by encompassing elements of different genres and making them work as a whole. St. Geo seems like an artist ahead of his time as he explores endless possibilities throughout the album. A striking element is an emphasis on creativity as the artist goes into societal subject matters while perfecting his style with hard-hitting lyrics.
As deep as the opener is, the follow-up, “Electric Revival,” builds melody through lively means by incorporating rock elements and relying heavily on distortion. Buzzing sounds and feedback can accomplish a lot, and St. Geo takes full advantage of that fact.
There is loudness and boldness on a forefront track like “1 More Ride” while things move to a more mellow sound with a track like “Strobe Light” which features a dreamy and ethereal perspective. Though most tracks lean more on conscious rap, St. Geo’s performance has been impressive, as the artist presents one great record after the other.
But most importantly, STEAM is an album for the current time and all of the challenges of today. Although enjoyable and entertaining, it’s importance of allowing you to be self-aware also makes it more inspiring. In an age where most of us live in uncertainty and where absence of clarity creates opportunity, the album urges the need for building oneself.