Swordplay {The Tilt EP}

Swordplay
The Tilt EP
Concise; 2004

Intrigued by the artist name and album cover, I bought this relatively cheap EP offline without knowing anything about it. I do this sometimes because I like to live life on the edge. Ladies, buying cds just because the cover looks cool is just a taste of my fearless personality. Anyway, this random purchase was probably one of my best decisions ever because rapper Isaac Ramsey from Virginia of all places is brilliant, with a style that is both powerful and soothing at the same time. Coupled with guitar-ridden and dramatic beats that feel like they were ripped from an indie romance film and then laid with foottapping-inducing kick and snare, the emotional lyrical delivery creates a mood that subtly stirs your blood. Ramsey sounds like Qwel, with a slightly raspier voice that carries much more energy and urgency. Through every track, he spits constantly without any lack of emotion, rhyming word after word after random word, creating abstract verses that don't readily make sense, but still sound sick. "I'm crazy like a posse of kamikazes. I can't go out without picking the pockets of the dead paparazzi. Get stoned and throw a tombstone in the oven like a f*ckin' nazi" is just a sample of some of the lyrics that slightly make sense, sort of. Either way, the rhyming and beats blend together so perfectly it is really something special to hear.
Despite having a completely unique sound, Swordplay doesn't try to pull off anything mind-blowing. The layout of their beats and style of delivery are pretty simple and constant through the whole EP. But the crispness in which the composition is handled is how it stands out and makes a lasting impression. Definitely check it out. These five tracks are worth a lot more than a lot of my full-length albums put together.