It’s not everyday that you hear something that’s actually worth listening to on the internet. Childhood, the debut EP from producer, The Kount, and melody virtuoso, Verhoog, is an EP that is worth your time, money, and so much more. In a day and age where releasing music is becoming increasingly simple due to platforms such as Soundcloud and Bandcamp, Childhood stands out as a carefully crafted piece of art that separates itself from a sea of mediocre internet “DJ’s”. By utilizing a clever and refreshing electronic combination of jazz, hip-hop, and soul, Childhood reminds cynical music fans that yes, people are still making quality music.
The album introduces itself with the track Cities feat. Blake Day. This smooth, jazzy piano ditty sets the tone quite effectively. Cities introduces us to the wonderful world of Childhood by using conventional jazz melodies and harmonies, and combining it with newer,
and hipper tones and production. After Cities, we hear the sonically and lyrically impressive Childhood. This track acts as one of the EP’s major cuts. The Kount’s buttery blend of vintage jazz and electronica really stands out in this track. The track opens with a killer synth solo that sounds like something I’ve never heard before, but it works so well because of how well versed The Kount is as a producer. The song then follows with what is going to soon become a sonic staple for The Kount x Verhoog: jazz chords, hiphop beats, and creative vocal melodies. Verhoog really shines in this track due to his catchy, yet intricate melodies, and his soon to be classic use of falsetto. This song just works on so many levels. The chemistry here is undeniable, both The Kount and Verhoog feed off one another in a way that we don’t often hear a producer and vocalist interact. Both artists take cues from one another to make the other one sound better. This track stands out for me lyrically as well, with the very existential Verhoog asking us: “What’s really real?”. Another notable cut off Childhood comes in the form of Glide ft. Jimmyfromeastyork. This is arguably the most popular track off Childhood. In this track The Kount shows off his very impressive Hip Hop chops. The beat is amazing, with little percussive tricks and secrets that even expert producers should take note of. The Kount’s arsenal of sound is reminiscent of artists like J Dilla, and Madlib, but in a more modern kind of way. Verhoog demonstrates his guitar abilities on this track especially, adding another layer to the beat during the verse. It works so well because Verhoog is the master of playing with good taste and rhythm. The guitar here is so perfectly nuanced that just another note would be too much, it’s perfect.
Jimmyfromeastyork is at his best here as well. It’s no coincidence that this track is so popular, and that’s largely due to Jimmyfromeastyorks’s flow. Glide shows off three up and coming musicians at the top of their game and get’s me excited for the future of Hip Hop.Childhood is such a clever, and artistic EP. However, It left us wanting more, and that’s largely the only real issue at play here. Coming in at around five songs, two of which are interludes, we are only really left with three full songs to listen to, all of which around three minutes. It’s a shame to think about how much more could be done here. But these three songs are superb. It’s so easy to forget that this wasn’t recorded in a fancy studio with a huge group of famous session musician. This is the works of two incredibly talented young artists. It’s clear that so much time and thought has gone into these songs. Childhood makes me so excited to hear more from these artists that I feel like a child, but maybe, that was the point.
