While gangsta rap may have garnered an army of devout enthusiasts with its unapologetic honesty and trap music may currently be ruling the charts, there’s nothing that can replace the charm of that class of hip-hop which aims to be relatable and emotionally engaging. Scaure, from the rap collective EXO Music, is an artist that makes such music, and as we see on his debut, excels at it.

Alphabet Soup is one of those rare indie records that first stuns you with all the talent it displays, and then gets you pondering over why the artist isn’t mainstream yet. From its first second to the last, Scuare‘s debut is an exciting blend of sharp, skillful delivery and clever, wide-ranging production. While opener Alphabet Intro with its slow ominous pace is an impressive beginning, Scuare’s brilliance is first revealed to us in its entirety on the second track, One. Each minute from there on is packed with impressive, often mind boggling rhyme schemes and every now and then, we see Scuare effortlessly switching his flow; all while his comrades from EXO Music show off their production chops. Take, for instance, the jaw-dropping patchwork of a capella samples on Recursive over which Scuare spits out the catchiest verses on the album; or the slow, soulful melody of Brick Walls that is sure to please many Kanye fans.

Favorite Track: One, Recursive

Track List
1. Alphabet Intro [produced by Rupert!]
2. One [produced by Tom Bombadil]
3. Brick Walls ft. Hmm [produced by Blacksheep!]
4. Stasis [produced by Hmm]
5. Nexus [produced by Rupert!]
6. Bass__ic [produced by Scuare]
7. These Words [produced by Blacksheep!]
8. Gone Away [produced by Scuare]
9. General Lee [produced by Blacksheep!]
10. Recursive [produced by Scuare]

Related Links
Scuare on Facebook
Scuare on Twitter
Scuare on SoundCloud