Chicago-based alternative hip-hop outfit Bonelang (consisting of rapper Samy and vocalist/producer Matt Bones) has gained quite the name in recent times. Their hard-hitting music has amassed over 2.5 million streams on Spotify and over 1.5 million views on Youtube since the release of their 2020 LP, "SAINTMAKER", and have received praise from the likes of NPR, Afropunk, Pigeons and Planes, Alternative Press and Earmilk.

The pair released their highly anticipated latest 4-track EP, "Nervous Oracle", in partnership with AWAL a few months back. Despite being just 13 minutes long, the duo packs a lot into "Nervous Oracle", including collaborations with illustrious Compton rapper 'The Game' and the supremely talented 'Kweku Collins'. 

Born out of a poem penned by the primary lyricist Samy Language, the entire EP captures a refreshing openness, rare in modern music. This lyrical sincerity is accompanied by Matt Bones' dynamic and eclectic production work. With the menacing string section and roaring blazing trap beat on "Gluten-Free Gluttony" to match 'The Game's poignant and cutting bars, the booming synths on "There's No I in Meme" and even the lustrous glitch-like electronic section at the end of "Sleepy Lion" just a few examples of Bone's divergent work throughout the record.

The striking music is matched by the cover art, showing Samy watching TV from the back of Bones' head. Regarding the thought process behind the artwork, main producer Matt Bones stated, "We were playing with the concept of how information is transferred today - memetically. Our perception of an event, statement, or whatever is alienated from what is actually the case, filtered through other people's prism and warped before it gets to us like a high-stakes game of telephone. It compounds upon itself, and the eventual result typically isn't greater understanding, just greater mania and despair." 

Reflecting on Bonelang's artistry, lyricist Samy commented, "It's not all doom and gloom, though. Our music is fundamentally aspirational. But you have to be aware of where you are before you can chart a course to where you want to be." This material is an important addition to our catalog. We're not here to be polite. We're not here to vomit the same useless platitudes every artist finds it necessary to boast on their socials to ensure their likability. We're interested in unfettered honesty, and this material is in alignment with that intrigue." 

You can listen to "Nervous Oracle" by Bonelang here:

https://soundcloud.com/bonelang/sets/nervous-oracle

By Isaac Roblett