One of my favorite things to do on my endless search for new music to discover and cover on this blog is to find artists with a sound and style that is completely their own. In today’s music landscape of copycats and artists who are repeating what others have done in the past, it is awesome to find someone who is doing something totally out of the ordinary that makes them majorly stand out. Milwaukee/Minneapolis artist Daark fits this description perfectly. It is tough to compare what Daark is doing to anyone else because there really is not anyone doing exactly what he is doing. Daark makes low-end, mean Hip Hop music with an Electronic and Industrial element to it that is so individualistic. Not only are Daark’s instrumentals unlike his peers, but his vocals are super solitary as well. Daark has been making music for quite a few years, but he truly started to pop off in 2023. In addition to many very good one-off singles that he put out, Daark also put out two excellent mixtapes last year, titled Battle Damage 2 and Nocturnal Circle Vol. 1. I covered both of these EPs on this blog, and both of them were among my favorite projects from Milwaukee-based artists in 2023. Battle Damage 2 was actually on my list of the best Milwaukee projects from 2023(you should definitely go check out that list as well as the reviews of both of those projects mentioned above after you are done reading this if you have not yet), and Nocturnal Circle Vol. 1 would have been on that list if I had reviewed it in time(I actually reviewed in during the first couple of weeks of 2024, after I had already made that list). I especially loved Nocturnal Circle Vol. 1, as not only does it showcase Daark’s immense talent, but it showcases a bunch of other up-and-coming artists who show so much potential as well. Daark recently released his first project of 2023, a sequel to Nocturnal Circle Vol. 1. With all of that being said, here is how I feel about Daark’s Nocturnal Circle Vol. 2, a project I have been excited to listen to. Please let me know in the comments below how you feel about Daark’s Nocturnal Circle Vol. 2, and also comment the names of any other rising artists you think I should check out!
Daark gets Nocturnal Circle Vol. 2 on a bright and sweet note with the sign ‘Coffee + Smoke,’ which gets assistance from Marie Valentine, Tori Little, and 50ktaylinn. This song has a way more light and charming sound than anything I have heard from Daark to this point. The drums on ‘Coffee + Smoke’ still have the same fast-paced and aggressive qualities that one would expect from a Daark track, but the melody is a lot more pleasant than most of his other work. I really like the sugary, twinkling synth-driven melody for this track, as not only does it contrast the beat and make the song super interesting, but it also contrasts the vocals. Speaking of the vocals, Daark and his features kill it on this track. All three artists rap with an aggressive style that creates a cool juxtaposition with the melody and makes the song hit hard in a welcoming manner. ‘Coffee + Smoke’ is a super cool way to start this project, as it shows a side of Daark that I have not seen. Evil Eye Bracelet,’ which features Empress’Orah and Stix, slows this down and smooths things out. This weird, funky, slow Trap track is also unlike what I would expect to hear from Daark. ‘Evil Eye Bracelet’ has a sound that sort of reminds me of the Pop-Funk Hip Hop music The Neptunes production crew is known for. The melody for this track has a groove that gives me the stank face when I hear it. I love all the weird strange sound effects that complement the melody, as it makes the song so floaty. As cool as this instrumental is for ‘Evil Eye Bracelet,’ the vocals are even better. Daark does his thing on this track, with his gruff tone and even-keeled flow riding this beat perfectly. Empress’Orah steals the show though, in my opinion. Everything about her delivery is awesome, from her flow to her tone and overall swagger. Empress’Orah really takes ‘Evil Eye Bracelet’ over the top and makes it an unforgettable track. Daark once again goes in a direction I would not expect to hear from him on ‘3 Hearts’ with DD The Spektrum, ReeseyRacks, and iBn Farmacia. This is a vivid Pop Track with an intense, ultramodern sound. The instrumental for this one makes me think of artists like Ken Carson or Playboi Carti. The melody for ‘3 Hearts’ has a beaming sound that is provided by highly saturated synths that make this song feel like it is from 2050. Even though the melody is gratifying, it almost has a bit of a harsh feeling because of how saturated it is. ‘3 Hearts’ has a deliberate and heavy Trap track that goes so well with the super massive feeling of the melody. All of the vocals on 3 Hearts’ are great, but I would say Daark especially shines on this one. I really like how his coarse tone sits on this melody and beat, and his off-kilter flow gives the song complexity which I appreciate. ‘3 Hearts’ is the third song in a row where Daark goes with a sound I would have never thought I would hear from him and totally nails it.
‘Warthog,’ which features Spaidez, Spraynem, and Stix, was one of the three singles released in anticipation of this record. Like the other two singles, I did a full write-up for this track when it came out(which you can also check out after this year), so I won’t go into as much detail here. I will say that ‘Warthog’ is the first track on Nocturnal Circle Vol. 2 that has a sound that is similar to what Daark has been known for up until this point. ‘Warthog’ is mean, fierce, and rapid. It has a crude and harsh sound that feels like it belongs in some futuristic underground Goth club. Like the first three tracks, the vocals on ‘Warthog’ are great and match the energy of the instrumental. ‘Warthog’ is a great single that provides Daark fans with the sound they have come to enjoy so much from him so far. ‘Hackers,’ which features SYM1, Big Kiaa, and Gucco, may be the coolest track on this EP yet, which is saying a ton. This is the most massive and epic song on Nocturnal Circle Vol. 2 so far; everything about ‘Hackers’ feels larger than life. The melody is robotic, metallic, and extremely futuristic. This cold and rigid synth-driven melody is riddled with clangy sound effects that make them so extreme. This melody is put on top of a bass-heavy, pounding Trap beat that goes perfectly with the epic elements of the melody. Somehow, as awesome as this instrumental is, the vocals are even more strong. Daark sounds great on ‘Hackers,’ but both of his features take the spotlight. The delicate and delightful singing from S1MI lightens up the track and contrasts the instrumental in such a riveting manner, and Big Kiaa’s smooth yet poignant flow also works so well on this song. ‘Hackers’ may be my favorite track of this EP so far, even though the EP has been so great to this point already. ‘Dragon Armor’ with Stix is another one of the singles that was released before this EP came out. Like ‘Warthog,’ it has a sound that is more akin to what one would anticipate from Daark. One thing that makes ‘Dragon Armor’ stand out is how funky and smooth the instrumental for this track. Although it does have a gritty, cold quick Trap sound that is similar to a lot of his past work, this one sets itself apart because of the groove that drives this melody. Daark’s flow on ‘Dragon Armor’ is impeccable. The way he glides on this beat makes the song hypnotizing. ‘Dragon Armor’ is a song for those people who love his more typical low and moody upbeat Trap sound.
‘Bounty Hunters,’ which features Gucco and 2hi, was the last single dropped in anticipation of Nocturnal Circle Vol. 2. The best way I can describe this one is that it feels like underground, Gothic, futuristic College Party Trap music(I mean this endearingly, of course). This song has a menacing dystopian Trap sound that goes extremely hard. Once again, the vocals on this track are excellent, with each artist contributing an engrossing performance that helps take ‘Bounty Hunters’ over the top. ‘Bounty Hunters’ is probably the most typical Trap song on this project, and it shows that Daark can do a mainstreamish Trap sound as well as anyone. ‘The Storm,’ which features $aiku and ChocVillah, has a more delayed and sludgy Trap sound than the song that precedes it. The melody for this song is triumphant and foreboding. It has the energy of something that would play before a massive battle in a fantasy video game or movie. The beat for this one is measured and forceful. Daark’s performance on ‘The Storm’ is solid, but I really have to shout out $aiku. His flow on ‘The Storm’ is excellent; his rap performance matches the awe-inspiring feeling of the track. ‘The Storm’ is a monumental track with a conquering sound. Daark closes out Nocturnal Circle Vol. 2 with an extremely quirky track with a sound I did not expect from Daark. ‘Red Red,’ which features Ef Ay, Mack OC, and Stix is a Milwaukee Slap/Street music song that samples the iconic UB40 song ‘Red Red Wine.’ The melody for this rack is a straight interpolation of the original, with the melody and vocals just being a bit pitched up. The rapid beat this song has matches the exuberance of the sample and makes this instrumental really fun to listen to. Similar to the last track, Daark is very good in his own right on ‘Red Red,’ but his features are even better. Both Ef Ay and Mack OC shine on this track; their performances help ‘Red Red’ be such an awesome closer for this EP. Daark wanted to end Nocturnal Circle Vol. 2 with a bang, and he certainly achieved that with ‘Red Red.’
After how much I enjoyed Nocturnal Circle Vol. 1, I was really looking forward to this EP from Daark. I am happy to say that I am more than pleased with what he did on Nocturnal Circle Vol. 2. I would say I enjoy this EP even more than I enjoyed the first one. It is evident that Daark wanted to expand his horizons and sound while also incorporating a ton of interesting artists in the process, and he achieved that hugely on Nocturnal Circle Vol. 2. This EP has a diverse and eclectic sound that leans into what Daark has been great at in the past while showing his ability to go in any direction with his music. All of Daark’s rap performances on this project are great, and there are so many excellent features that make these songs all the more exciting. Overall, Daark definitely proved he is one of the most talented artists in the Milwaukee Hip Hop scene with Nocturnal Circle Vol. 2, as there is no one doing it like him right now.
EAST SIDE VIBES 