By: Sam E. Lawrence

For his latest offering on ThazDope Records, Dropkick is back with a massive three-track collection of heat, Combustible Rounds.

“Incendiary” kicks things off with a plucky synth supported by guttural bass. The beat style and genre of the track aren’t immediately apparent until the long intro leads to the first slow build and the listener is eventually led into a wubby dubstep drop that is reminiscent of some UK styles from a few years ago while still sounding fresh and new.

“Hot Damn” is a rock/trap hybrid track that avoids cheesiness by keeping its arrangement simple and heavy. More of a groovy, almost funky track; this collab with Astrocide and Signalkraft is loaded with little vinyl scratch effects and hi-hat panning that give it a roomy, flowy feel. Chiptune influences creep in halfway through while the guitar riffs turn into a proper solo before the bass slams back in for a final drop and outro.

“Combustible Rounds,” the title track, closes out the EP in style with more funky guitar and grinding bass synths. Basslines get layered and thick but the composition and arrangement stay quite minimal throughout. This track is slow and heavy until taking a sharp right turn into goofy and oddball territory with a glockenspiel synth and some more melodic elements before one final return to the bass. On this EP, Dropkick shows off a unique style and it’s clear that he has invested a lot of energy into sound design. With time, I hope we can see more songwriting and arrangement skills arise around this unique and fresh sound that he has developed.

You'll be able to catch Dropkick at the inaugural Silent Disco stage powered by ThazDope at The Untz Festival in Mariposa, California from June 1-3 alongside DYS B2B Scales, Leet, Detox, and many more.