Kamil X has never really been one to conform to the boundaries of popular mainstream music. He brands himself on creating lyrically explicit rap music recorded Lo-fi style. This style interestingly emphasizes the vocals over the instrumentals which is a rather different approach from what we’re used to hearing but he somehow makes it work for himself.2021 has seen him release 3 singles so far. February’s “Ghetto Viagra” with which he introduced himself, June’s “LV Bop” which serves as the lead single for the project under review, and July’s “Terrified”. On the 21st of October, he put his debut EP on all streaming platforms. It is composed of 4 tracks that play over a 7 minute run time, and – as accurately captured by the project cover – is titled “Incognito”.
In keeping with what he has now established as his style, this project majorly features music recorded in Lo-fi fashion. It’s just 4 songs but it is a busy project when one considers the number of rapping styles and instrumentals explored in the course of the music. The project opening and closing tracks, “Buss a Whine” and “LV Bop” respectively, feature a British style to his rap flows, while “Hate” and “Oju” bring the flows much closer home. Most of the beats are minimalist and without much sonic details to them, but considering the peculiaritiy of his recording style, that doesn’t matter much.
However, if you listen close enough, you’ll pick out makings of Afrobeats on “Hate” and “Oju”, a blend of Reggae and Afrobeats on “Buss a Whine”, and grime music on “LV Bop”. Kamil X is not one to beat around the bush and his lyrics are as direct as it gets. “Oju” sounds like a lot freestyle so there’s no one message in particular and Kamil is really just having fun on microphone. His vibe is quite infectious though, and the track is fun to listen to with the number of catchy slangs he throws about. On “Hate”, he delivers a number of messages to his perceived haters. “Buss a Whine” is a show of lasciviousness captured perfectly by the lyrics while “LV Bop” is a nod of admiration to the famous fashion house, Louis Vuitton.”Incognito” is music for those who enjoy experimentation.
The unique recording style means the music might take some getting used to but you might find yourself becoming a fan if you’re patient enough to give it a few spins.
Verdict: 6/10
