Out of the many extremely interesting and talented artists who have been coming up in the Milwaukee music scene over the last couple of years, not many of them have captivated me the way 2hi has. 2hi is such a compelling artist with a sound and style that truly sticks out; there is no one in the city making music like him, and it really sets him apart from his peers. 2hi has been making music for many years, but he truly started to pop off about 4 years ago. In 2020 and 2021 respectively, he dropped two very good projects, titled 2 Birds and White Lighter Bad Luck. Both of these projects put his name on the map in underground Hip Hop communities across the country and cemented him as one to watch in Milwaukee. 2hi followed up these two projects with his EP HEY GANG!, which was released in 2022. This project further proved that 2hi was one of the most interesting and unique rappers coming up, as its wild and innovative sound turned the heads of so many underground Hip Hop fans. 2hi stayed very prolific in 2023, dropping multiple very good singles throughout the year before he put out his excellent album Who Cares Who Started It? It’s Music!. This is a project I was very fond of, and it is not only among my favorite projects from any Milwaukee artist in 2023, but it is also among my favorite Hip Hop albums of the year as a whole(if you have not yet, please go read my review of this album, as well as my list of other great projects from Milwaukee artists that I loved in 2023). 2hi continued his epic run in 2023 with a short joint EP with the producer iBn Farmacia(who I just covered in his new collaboration with Lady Sabo) called BIG FARMA, which was also one of my favorite Milwaukee projects of 2023. 2hi closed out 2023 on a very strong note with yet another album titled OUCH! (I also posted a full review of BIG FARMA and OUCH! around the time they came out, so please go read those reviews after you are done here if you have not yet). 2hi has been quiet in terms of his releases to start 2024, but he recently released his first single of the year, titled ‘I’M HIGH RIGHT NOW / AWAY.’ I wanted to briefly highlight this new track from 2hi below, as it is yet another example of why he stands out so much and why you need to tap into his music if you love Psychedelic Hip Hop and do not know about him yet. Please let me know in the comments below how you feel about 2hi’s ‘I’M HIGH RIGHT NOW / AWAY,’ and also comment the names of any other up-and-coming or independent artists I should check out!

 ‘I’M HIGH RIGHT NOW / AWAY,’ which came out a few weeks ago on April 15, is a two-part track with very distinct sections. Even though this track is only about 2 minutes, it feels longer than this because of how complex it is and how distinct its two sections are. The first part of  ‘I’M HIGH RIGHT NOW / AWAY’ has a tough and gritty sound that is bold, intense, and in your face. This portion of the track is driven by a dark piano-driven melody that has a very menacing tone to it. This melody is put on top of an upbeat and quirky Pop-Trap drum pattern that matches the threatening feeling of the instrumental. 2hi raps with an energetic and lively flow during this section of the song, constantly changing his tone and inflection to give the track texture. The second part of  ‘I’M HIGH RIGHT NOW / AWAY’ is a lot more atmospheric than the first section. This part of the song makes me feel like I am floating when I hear it. I know that this song was meant to be a 4/20 release, and the second half of  ‘I’M HIGH RIGHT NOW / AWAY’ has the perfect sound for getting stoned because it is so trippy. The synths that drive this melody are celestial, strange, and almost futuristic sounding. These weird synths make the song so all-encompassing and almost give it a looming sort of feeling. This melody is put on top of a harsh and punchy Trap beat. This huge beat really adds to the larger-than-life feeling of this section of the track. 2hi’s vocals on the second part of  ‘I’M HIGH RIGHT NOW / AWAY’ are just as weird and hazy as the instrumental. There is a sense of agony that can be heard in 2hi’s voice, which gives it an emotional element that makes it pop. 2hi’s vocal performance in the second section of  ‘I’M HIGH RIGHT NOW / AWAY’ truly adds to its ethereal nature.  ‘I’M HIGH RIGHT NOW / AWAY’ is the latest great example of why you need to pay attention to 2hi if you are not doing so next. This super cool track shows he is as dynamic as ever right now, and it makes me very excited to see what he continues to release in 2024.