Before this current wave of Milwaukee Hip Hop popularity, the scene got kick-started in the early 2010s. Artists like Wave Chapelle and Chicken P first started making an impact on Milwaukee 10+ years ago; their efforts helped put Milwaukee on the map and laid the seeds for what was to come. In addition to the artists mentioned above, IshDARR also was one of the first Milwaukee rappers to really make a name for himself. Songs like ‘Too Bad’ and ‘Sugar’ helped put him on the map in 2015, cementing him as one to watch from Milwaukee. The success of these two tracks, as well as songs like ‘Mucho Mango’ and ‘Free’ did a ton for IshDARR and the city of Milwaukee as a whole. Without IshDARR’s efforts at this time, Milwaukee would have never been able to garner the kind of momentum we are seeing right now. After dropping his third full-length album Slow Down, Kid in 2018(IshDARR’s first two records, Old Soul, Young Spirit and Broken Hearts & Bankrolls came out in 2015 and 2016 respectively), IshDARR slowed down his output a bit(no pun intended). He dropped a collaborative record with Vitamin Boy called Nausea in 2020, then did not release anything in 2021. Throughout 2022 and the first half of 2023, IshDARR dropped a bunch of one-off singles. These singles led to his first solo project in 2018, Rested, which was dropped in May of last year. After dropping a few more singles over the last year or so and doing a couple of very good features(such as his performance on Wave Chapelle’s track ‘Never Fold,’ IshDARR has returned with a new record titled Thru The Storm, which I wanted to give some thoughts on in this write-up. I am going to highlight some of my favorite songs from Thru The Storm, then talk about how I feel about the record as a whole to close things out. Please let me know in the comments below how you feel about IshDARR’s Thru The Storm, and also comment the names of any other new music you think I should check out!
INTRO
IshDARR gets the record going with what is easily one of the sweetest and most vibrant songs of the project in ‘Intro.’ This song has a Joyous R&B Trap sound that is so inviting. The melody for this one is driven by a heavenly Sample with a Gospel music feeling to it. This melody is pitched up a bit to give the song a Chipmunk Soul sound that makes me think of old Kanye. This melody is put on top of an easygoing Trap beat with just enough jumpiness to make it contrast the melody nicely and help the song pop a bit. This instrumental is nice, but the best thing about ‘Intro’ is IshDARR’s rap verse. He shows off what makes him great on this one, rapping with a super crisp and enticing flow and witty wordplay. ‘Intro’ is a super nice way to start this record off, as it reigns me in as a listener in a pleasant way and leaves me wanting more.
ALI
After the very bright and charming sound we get on ‘Intro,’ ‘Ali’ feels like it punches you in the face. This song is way more abrupt and harsh than ‘Intro,’ which it directly follows on this tracklist. The melody for ‘ALI’ sounds like it came out of some scary music based in a dystopian future. This melody is very foreboding and robotic sounding. The synths that drive this one have a very convoluted arrangement; the tone of the melody is very dark, and the layering is so mechanical. The beat for ‘ALI’ absolutely pounds. This beat gives the track a looming feeling and makes the song feel larger than life. IshDARR certainly matches the energy of the instrumental with his rap performance on this one. The tone with which he sings on the chorus adds to the heaviness of the track, and the raspy tone he raps the verses with has a very weighty feeling as well. This instrumental already feels massive, and IshDARR adds to this sentiment. ‘ALI’ is an intense banger that will inject anyone with energy when it comes on, and it would be perfect for any workout playlist.
BIG (FEAT. EMAAD)
‘BIG,’ which features EMAAD, has a similarly intense feeling to ‘ALI.’ This song is not quite as heavy or imposing as that one is, but it is certainly as bold. When I first listened to this one, two modern unique Trap artists came to mind: Ken Carson and Yeat. This melody and beat have the kind of grating and mean gruff feeling as a lot of the music from both of these artists. The best way I can describe the melody for this track is that it has a growling tone to it. To be honest, this melody sort of has the tone of a motorcycle revving up; the amount of distortion on this melody adds to that feeling. The beat for ‘BIG’ pounds super hard and matches the energy of the melody perfectly. IshDARR does his thing on this one, as his tone fits this kind of instrumental well, but I especially want to acknowledge EMAAD; I really enjoy the way his pitch and flow contrast IshDARR’s, as it gives the song so much texture. ‘BIG’ is a super cool track with an Ultramodern Trap sound that I could see popping off among the Opium label music fans online.
CALL IT NOW
Besides for ‘Intro,’ I would say that ‘Call it Now’ is the most unlike the others out of the music on this record to this point. As far as the melody goes, it does not stray too far from the darker theme we have seen throughout the project, however. The melody for ‘Call it Now’ does have a slightly brighter and more shimmery feeling than a lot of the other songs here, but it does have a very melancholy tone and is certainly not uplifting. The place where this song stands out is through the beat, though. This drum pattern has an Amapiano tempo to it. This feels like IshDARR’s take on the AfroPop-infused Trap music that we have been seeing take off over the last year or so. IshDARRs’ rap performance on this track is very even-keeled and silky. The more subdued way in which he raps on this one makes the song feel more inviting and helps give the song a clubby feeling, which I enjoy. ‘Call It Now’ seems like the song on this album that would most likely get the function popping because it has the kind of sound that just makes me want to dance when it comes on.
ANTHEM (FEAT. BOODAHDARR)
I figured we would have to get at least one collaboration with IshDARR’s brother and frequent collaborator, BoodahDARR, and we get it on ‘ANTHEM.’ The instrumental for this one does not feel totally different from the one that we got on ‘BIG.’ This is another one with the harshness and intensity of the music that artists like Ken Carson and Destroy Lonely are known for. The beat for this one is even more huge and pounds more than pretty much anything that precedes it. This beat absolutely bangs, making this song feel super daunting. Once again, IshDARR sounds great on this one in his own right, but his feature stands out. BoodahDARR’s flow and tone on this one are so interesting and give this song a bit of vibrancy that really takes the song over the top. IshDARR and BoodahDARR have had many epic collaborations in the past, and ‘ANTHEM’ is another addition to that catalog.
MODE (FEAT. COO COO CAL)
Of course, I had to include the song with the OG Milwaukee rapper, Coo Coo Cal, for this list(if you did not know, before IshDARR or any of the other artists I mentioned, Coo Coo Cal was the first Milwaukee rapper to ever hit big when he charted in the early 2000s). Not only is ‘Mode’ an awesome collaboration in its own right, but it also has one of the most interesting sounds of the record. ‘Mode’ has an upbeat R&B Trap sound that is super bouncy and fun. The melody for this one is gloomy yet soothing; even though it has a pretty downtrodden tone, there is something about it that is inviting. Both IshDARR and Coo Coo Cal sound great on this one. Coo Coo Cal provides some entertaining moments that really stand out, but IshDARR is the one that is excellent. His flow and tone are super smooth and match with the mesmerizing sound of the instrumental perfectly. ‘Mode’ is a dope collaboration between two of Milwaukee’s greats which shows both of these artists are better than ever at this point.
SERPENT
‘Serpent’ may be one of the shortest songs on this record, but it is definitely easily one of the most impactful. Out of all the music on this record, this one is the one that leans into the Drill music sound that a lot of people associate with Milwaukee. This song has the kind of brash and jarring sound I would expect to hear from Chicken P or Gwapo Chapo back in the day. Everything about this instrumental is ruthless and raucous. The melody for this one is so dim and mean, and the beat has the kind of emphasis and distortion that takes that feeling over the top. IshDARR more than matches the feeling of the instrumental for ‘Serpent’ with his rap performance. His flow is relentless and his tone is merciless, and they help make this song feel so austere in the best way. If you are a fan of some of the more harsh Milwaukee Drill music, ‘Serpent’ is a song for you.
STORM, HOW I GOT THRU IT
IshDARR closes out this record on a pretty calm and tranquil note with ‘Storm, How I Got Thru It.’ With how fierce a lot of this record has been, this song provides a nice buffer and is a cool way to close things out. For some reason, when I hear this one, I think of some of the more heavy music from Mac Miller. The triumphant and Funky nature of the horn-driven melody is reminiscent of some of his biggest Jazz-Trap cuts. The intricacy of the beat sort of makes me think of Mac as well. I really like the mix on this beat and melody; the weird level of fuzziness and distortion that are put on this track makes it very interesting. To be honest, this mix and the vocal performance from IshDARR really remind me of artists like the $uicide Boy$ or Bones. This super unique mix and vocal performance make this one so captivating to me; this is one of the most individualistic songs on the record, and it is also one of the best. ‘Storm, How I Got Thru It’ is an excellent final track for Thru The Storm, as it sends the project out on a bright and magnificent note.
As someone who was a big fan of IshDARR when he was first popping off several years ago and as someone who has admittedly lost my way as far as following his career, I was very excited and curious to see how Thru The Storm would sound. He is an artist who I have always felt like had a ton of potential. After his initial burst back in the day, though, I have felt like he has become a bit too overlooked(not just by me, but by the Hip Hop industry as a whole). Thru The Storm is a real return to form for IshDARR. There are two things that have always been very evident of IshDARR: he has a ton of talent as a lyricist, and he is a very diverse artist. Both of these elements shine through on Thru The Storm. This record is full of great wordplay and bars that show that IshDARR is as witty as ever; he gets real introspective on a few of these tracks, letting us into his mind in a way I can appreciate. IshDARR’s eclecticism is extremely evident on this album as well. There are so many moments on this record where IshDARR branches out and shows the many directions with his music he can go. On Thru The Storm, IshDARR makes music for so many different kinds of Hip Hop listeners. Overall, Thru The Storm is a fun album with a lot of quality that shows he is still growing and shining. This is a return to form for one of Milwaukee’s most important artists, and it proves IshDARR is still as relevant and motivated as ever.
EAST SIDE VIBES 