One of my favorite things to do on this blog is to cover artists who carve their own lanes. It is becoming increasingly rare these days to find artists who are truly doing their own thing when it comes to their music, and it’s always so fun to find someone who is. Daark is a Minneapolis-based, Milwaukee-associated Hip Hop artist with a sound and style that is so individual. He draws from various forms of Trap music, R&B, and low-end Industrial and Witch House music to create a style of music that sets him apart from his peers. I first came across Daark last year when I listened to and covered a couple of the many riveting singles he dropped throughout the year. He also released two mixtapes in 2023, Battle Damage 2 and Nocturnal Circles Vol. 1. The former, a solo mixtape from Daark, was among my favorite releases from any Milwaukee-associated artists last year. The former was dropped at the very end of 2023 and would have been on my year-end favorites list if I had written about it before that list dropped. Nocturnal Circles Vol. 1. is a super cool collaborative mixtape where Daark gathered some of his favorite underground or independent artists to come together and make music that is so unique and fun. Daark followed that awesome release with its sequel, Nocturnal Circles Vol. 2., which he dropped back on April 20. This mixtape was even better than its predecessor, as not only did Daark expand his sound more than ever, but he also brought in even more talented artists who I was happy to discover and look into because of their contributions to this tape. After staying relatively quiet(for him) over the last few months, putting out a couple of singles over that time, Daark has returned with the third edition of this mixtape series, Nocturnal Circles Vol. 3. I have been anticipating this release, as Daark seems to continue to improve and get more and more daring with his music. With that being said, here is how I feel about Nocturnal Circles Vol. 3. Please let me know in the comments below what your favorite songs are on Nocturnal Circles Vol. 3, and also let me know in the comments how you feel about the project as a whole!
‘Night Owls,’ which features Ef Ay and Tori Little and gets production from aeer, sees Daark go in a slightly different direction than what I would probably expect for him. This song has a lot brighter sound than a lot of his other music. The melody for this song is very warm and vibrant; the tone of the synths on this one is so positive, and this song immediately puts me in a good mood when listening to it. The beat for this track is almost right between Slap music and Trap, taking on the tempo of Slap music but the drum pattern of Trap, which is very interesting. All of the vocal performances on this song are great, and each artist complements each other so well. The higher pitch that Ey Ay has and the softer tone that Tori Little sings with contrast the deep and gritty delivery from Daark so nicely, making this song pop. ‘Night Owls’ is a sweet way to open this project, and I appreciate the positivity we get to start things out. ‘Rapper Weed,’ which features BRISTACKS and gets production from tommy electra, has an almost opposite tone to the opener. This song is mean, intense, and tough. The instrumental on this track is so wild and cool, but it is almost hard to explain. It is like a demented, harsh version of Pop-Trap music. The melody has a tone that almost sounds like a warning bell as if something daunting is on the horizon. As I said, the beat has a Pop-Trap tempo, but it is extremely distorted and glitchy, making it stand out so interestingly. The breakdown between the verses gives the song a brief Glitch-House element that really pops as well. Daark definitely kills it with her verse on this track, but I especially have to shout out BRISTACKS. Her high pitch and eccentric flow give ‘Rapper Weed’ a texture that makes it hit extra hard. ‘Rapper Weed’ is an industrial Pop-Trap track where Daark returns to his roots and is truly in his bag. ‘Twin Towers Flow,’ which features SIR JAH and gets production from aeer, has a somewhat similar tone and style to the song that precedes it. This song does feel a little more poppy and palatable than the song before it, though. ‘Rapper Weed’ has more of a true underground sound, and this ‘Twin Towers Flow’ feels slightly more inviting. The melody for this track is very intricate and menacing, with it being driven by a piano riff and complemented by various synths and bells that give it texture. The beat for this track has an intense Pop-Trap sound that is just as intricate as the melody. Shout out aeer for their contribution to this one, as the beat is frankly pretty crazy. The vocal performances from Daark and SIR JAH on this one are great as well. Both Daark and SIR JAH rap with rapid, high-energy flows that add to the excitement of the track. The lower tone of Daark and the higher pitch from SIR JAH give the song a texture that truly makes it pop. ‘Twin Towers Flow’ is a high-key Pop-Trap banger that injects me with life when I hear it.
As good as the first three tracks are, ‘Armored Shell’ with Kion Rose and with production by Stix is my favorite track yet. The easiest way I can describe this is that it feels like an underground Club R&B Trap banger. This feels like the kind of track that would get a club in the BladeRunner universe absolutely popping. This track has a dark and gritty R&B melody that is put on a fast-paced Pop-Trap/Slap music fusion of a drum pattern. This is the kind of that will get anyone dancing when it comes on. The vocals on ‘Armored Shell’ from both Daark and Kion Rose are just awesome. Daark raps with an addicting flow that gives the track so much power and life. Kion Rose sing-raps with an aggressive tone and flow which gives the song a lighter texture that it benefits from. ‘Armored Shell’ is a high-key banger which I love, and will probably go down as one of my favorite tracks of the year overall. ‘Midwest Warlord’ is the first song on the project without a featured vocalist. This one is produced by Daark’s frequent collaborator Stix, and their chemistry is as evident as ever on this one. The melody for ‘Midwest Warlord’ is very haunting. It is provided by what sounds like heavily distorted, ominous chanting. This chanting sound is complemented by some lower, gritty synths which give the melody depth. This track has a pretty off-kilter Trap beat that hits super hard. The timing of the beat is weird and cool, and it makes the track really pound. Daark raps with a steady, laid-back flow on this track that sort of contrasts the energy of the instrumental. I like the even-keeled way that he raps on ‘Midwest Warlord,’ as it sort of settles the energy a bit and brings it back down to earth. ‘Midwest Warlord’ is a heavy yet steady banger where Daark demonstrates a more calm flow, which I appreciate. ‘ChromeDome Freestyle Interlude,’ which features DD The Spektrum and gets production from Stix, is the slowest song on the record to this point. This certainly does not mean it is light or soft in any way; in fact, this might be the heaviest and harshest song on the project so far. The melody for ‘ChromeDome Freestyle Interlude’ actually has a somewhat similar tone to the sound that precedes it. It has a very ominous tone, being provided by some dark synths complemented by what sounds like heavily distorted chanting and other kinds of anguished vocals. The beat for ‘ChromeDome Freestyle Interlude’ is slow and sludgy, but full of bass and power. Both DD The Spektrum and Daark more than match the feeling of the instrumental with their rap verses. They rap with brash, in-your-face flows and tones that add to the larger-than-life feeling of the song. ‘ChromeDome Freestyle Interlude’ may not have a quick sound, but it is still very rambunctious and weighty. ‘Call Waiting,’ which features Craishon and Spraynem and gets production from MKE Neely, is the first track that feels like a pretty typical Milwaukee Slap song. This actually reminds me a lot of the music from artists like Ef Ay or AyooLii, which obviously attracts me to it a lot. The melody is provided by some heavily distorted sweet and Soulful vocals that have a very soothing tone. These vocals are complemented by some even brighter synths which help this song feel very welcoming. The beat for ‘Call Waiting’ has a high-key and fun Slap tempo that makes me want to do some Milwaukee dances. The contrast in the vocals on this song is very interesting. Daark raps with a pretty aggressive flow and low pitch, whereas Craishon and Spraynem rap with lighter and more dainty flows and tones. This difference in vocals gives the song some pretty cool textures. ‘Call Waiting’ is Daark’s (and his features) best attempt at typical Milwaukee music, and it is a solid effort.
‘Treasure’ is the second song of the record without any featured vocals, instead only getting production from people. At 1:26, this one feels like a flash in the pan. ‘Treasure’ does not really have a melody. The whole instrumental consists of a fast-paced Slap Music/Pop-Trap fusion which is very aggressive and punchy. There are some weird sound effects and vocals sprinkled in and out of this one which really make it pop as well. Daark’s rapping on ‘Treasure’ is quick and assertive, more than matching the energy of the instrumental. ‘Treasure’ may be a pretty brief cut, but it certainly makes an impact. ‘Cerberus,’ which features Empress’Orah and Moopy and gets production from aeer, is another very cool Trap/Slap fusion. This instrumental is very cool and intricate, and honestly hard to pinpoint. Although its pacing is pretty slow relative to most of the rest of the record, it has this anxious feeling to it that makes it hit as hard as anything here. The melody for this one is super menacing, being provided by a low and gritty piano riff that is sort of off-tune that is complemented by some distorted synths with a neo-futuristic feel. Daark and Moopy do their thing on this one, but I have to shout out Empress’Orah. Her performance on NC Vol. 2 was one of my favorites, and she kills it again on this one. I love her tone, flow, and overall presence on ‘Cerberus,’ as it provides an airy yet tough element that is just great. ‘Cerberus’ is a harsh banger with some really dope vocal performances that stand out. Daark closes out Nocturnal Circles Vol. 3 on a bit of a more positive note with ‘Fable,’ which features TAYYY and Manii and gets production from tommy electra. ‘Fable’ is a very apt name for this track, as it has such an ethereal sound. The melody for this track is so atmospheric and charming. The synths that drive this one literally make me feel like I am floating when I listen to it. The beat for ‘Fable’ has a pretty fast-paced and tough Slap music sound. The way the bass pounds on this one sort of combats the feeling of the melody, giving the track a super cool feeling. The vocals on ‘Fable’ are super cool and fun! The brighter tone that TAYYY and Manii sing-rap with creates a dope juxtaposition with the lower vocals from Daark, creating an interesting whirlwind of sound. ‘Fable’ is a colorful and lively banger that sends this project off on an exciting note.
Nocturnal Circles Vol. 3 is a project I have been excited about the release of for a while(Daark tipped me off to it a while ago, I will not lie). Everything Daark has done over the last year and a half has set him apart from his peers in such a riveting manner, and I knew he was going to push himself even further on this project. Nocturnal Circles Vol. 3 is yet another example of Daark pushing boundaries and breaking down barriers in Hip Hop, Dance, and R&B music. It is almost impossible to compare this project to anything I am hearing from other artists right now, as everything about it is so individual. Nocturnal Circles Vol. 3 is full of exhilarating music that creates a crescendo of sound that is just so fun. Every producer on this project does such a great job, as these instrumentals are so unique and awesome. Daark delivers some of my favorite vocal deliveries I have heard from him so far on this project; he raps with a variety of flows and styles that show he is still growing and improving as a spitter. All of Daark’s features on Nocturnal Circles Vol. 3 contribute so much awesomeness to it as well. Daark did an excellent job of picking artists that will add something special to these tracks, and they more than delivered. Overall, Nocturnal Circles Vol. 3 is Daark’s best release yet, in my opinion. I enjoyed this project so much, and am very excited to see what Daark does next.
EAST SIDE VIBES 