Fling Posse and MAD TRIGGER CREW brought their aces to this battle, determined to win this battle. What ensues is the best battle so far in Hypnosis Mic franchise.
Title: HypnosisMic 2nd Division Rap Battle "Fling Posse vs MAD TRIGGER CREW" Label: EVIL LINE RECORDS Release date: 24/03/2021 Genre: Hip-Hop
Tracklist:
1 - Reason to FIGHT (Fling Posse vs MAD TRIGGER CREW) 2 - Black Journey (Fling Posse) 3 - HUNTING CHARM (MAD TRIGGER CREW)
Track by track analysis:
1 – Reason to FIGHT
A dramatic organ paints the soundscape for Reason to FIGHT however, the song quickly evolves and introduces a short funky chorus. The harpsichord melody leading the way for this track is quite the awesome touch.
The verses are tight and simple with a minimalistic beat, organ melody and strings leaving a lot of space for the vocals.
The chorus counts slightly shifts the vibe of the song, introducing a groovy bass line and adding peppy synths into the mix.
The battle verses are done in a different way from the previous battle series.
This time around, the 2 crews trade blows, first member by member and then, by the end of the song, shuffle their blows for a quick succession that leaves quite the impression.
The chorus is slightly overcrowded, something that only shifts slightly when each crew does their thing to stand out. Not the most memorable chorus, that’s for sure.
2 – Black Journey
The song kicks off with a soulful piano melody while Yusuke Shirai goes for a solo part filled with flair, falsetto and emotion.
However this is only but an appetizer, musical style, to the real song at hand.
“Black Journey” includes a whole lot of new elements for the group. Funk is brought to center stage, although focusing more on a disco vibe than on an all-out funk one.
The verses are fast and upbeat, contrasting with the dark lyrics that are being performed. Bass hits hard, being a driving force for this track. Synths add some glitchy touches to the verses and, in the chorus, add the final touches to the danceable tune at hand.
The bass line takes center stage for the the chorus, being noticeable the funk and disco influences in this section through its punchy hits. By the time you’re in the chorus, you’ll notice that everything is a bit too peppy and danceable for how dark the lyrics are.
Vocals wise, this is the most impressive performance by Yusuke Shirai as part of Fling Posse. His vocals are crystal clear, his falsetto sends chills down the spine and his emotions are raw.
Saito and Nozuyama have intense solo parts and do awesome harmonies in the chorus, delivering quite the powerful performance, slightly different from previous ones.
3 – HUNTING CHARM
Shredding guitar riffs led the way for HUNTING CHARM, song that brings to the spotlight a strong old-school 90s rap sound, adding a bit of edge from shredding guitar riffs with strings accents on top of an incisive beat.
The verses count with fancy organ melodies in the background blending with dramatic strings, adding a sense of urgency and danger to this track.
The build up to the chorus is intense however, it takes quite a lot to reach the explosive chorus. Those tense moments leading up to the chorus make it even more enjoyable, especially when it is perfectly executed.
On the vocal end, MAD TRIGGER CREW are at their best, delivering a jaw dropping performance both in their individual parts as well as tight group parts, showcasing a chemistry that can’t be found in any other crew song of theirs.
Final considerations
Fling Posse and MAD TRIGGER CREW give their all in an all for nothing battle to pass to the next stage and have a shot at being crowned “Champion”.
MAD TRIGGER CREW are in the offensive, with “HUNTING CHARM” making a big impression.
“HUNTING CHARM” is memorable and catchy, the sound a massive throwback to 90s hip-hop and with an execution that leaves you wanting more.
The mix of rock with funk and hip-hop worked wonders with this crew and their rap game shone, with Asanuma, Kamio and Komada giving quite the show in what is their best showcase of chemistry and skill so far.
Fling Posse took an interesting turn with “Black Journey” however, one that should and could have been much more. As per usual, the vibe in the lyrics and the vibe of the song don’t match, tricking the listener into thinking the song is upbeat when, in reality, it is quite the dark piece of music.
The intro is surprisingly dramatic and emotional, in a way lending a bit from the vibe in “Stella” however, what awaits Fling Posse’s fans is something completely different for the rest of the song.
The verses and chorus count with an interesting set of rap + singing performances however, what stood out the most for me was just how heart wrenching Yusuke Shirai’s performance in the intro was.
He sang his heart out and you can feel it. The lyrics hit like sharp blades and, as the intro quickly comes to a close, you’re already in a pretty dark place. The rest of the song doesn’t carry over that feeling, at least instrumental wise, but the lyrics are never, at any point, as peppy as the instrumental.
Fling Posse were aiming for another “Stella” – and should have gotten another song of similar tone and intensity – with “Black Journey” but, once again, are met with a song that, instrumental wise, is far from memorable, especially against such a strong song by MAD TRIGGER CREW.
Enjoyable, yes. But not as impactful as, once again, “Stella” was.
Fans of the franchise that are big on the lore/story going on will say otherwise which is fair game.
I was hoping Fling Posse would arrive with an incisive song like “JACKPOT” or spine chilling track like “Stella”, unfortunately, we got a song that, instrumental wise, seems like it belongs to Matenro’s Gigolo.
As far as battle songs go, “Reason to FIGHT” is an interesting one although the execution could have been better.
The chorus is crowded at all times and the instrumental can get a bit cluttered in some sections. Vocals are with the same sound levels as the instrumental which makes everything sound a bit murky.
The battle itself is interesting but with so many elements taking my attention away from it, I didn’t enjoy it as much as I’d hoped for.
Well, I am torn between both, as Fling Posse and MAD TRIGGER CREW are my favorite crews in the Hypnosis Mic franchise.
When putting Fling Posse facing MAD TRIGGER CREW in this album and with these songs, I can only say that, if the choice was to be made based only on music quality + performance, MAD TRIGGER CREW would take the win for me.
If you’re going for the heartbreaking backstory/emotions and the whole journey as a crew, then Fling Posse more than deserve this win.
All in all, Fling Posse and MAD TRIGGER CREW gave their all in this battle. They are hungry for a win, each crew fighting for their ideals, for their strong bonds and, ultimately, for a shot at being crowned “Champion”.
Regardless of who advances to the next stage one thing is for certain, we got 2 awesome crew songs and a pretty interesting battle track to listen to again and again.
HypnosisMic 2nd Division Rap Battle “Fling Posse vs MAD TRIGGER CREW” is available for purchase at CDJAPAN.
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