ALBUM REVIEW: Audi3k – The ANTi HERO “Tales from the Underdog.”
In February, Audi3k released her sixth album, The ANTi Hero, comprised of 8 tracks that are jam-packed with sick beats, creative lyricism, catchy rapping and melodies, and emotions and themes that cut deep. Audi3k bounces through many topics on this album, including relationships, personal growth, intricacies of life in the city, and coming of age. Her talents in writing, singing, and rapping all come through in this project, showcasing her abilities as a well-rounded artist.
She collaborated with lyricist Audrey Knight on the project, and the lyrics are one of the first things that drew me into the album as I listened for the first time. Each of the beats on each track is intriguing and sets a great groove, but they also sit back and support the rapping and singing that Audi3k lays down perfectly. The drums keep the song moving, while giving her rhythms to bounce off of. The bass grounds the song, allowing other more chaotic elements to interject and have their space without jarring the listener at all.
When she was on No Label The Podcast, she spoke with the hosts on her music and her rapping and singing. “So in terms of rap- I don’t know, ‘cause sometimes I feel like I be on some J. Cole…and other times it be like totally different.” The host spoke on how versatile Audi3k is as an artist, and the way she fluctuates between rapping and singing. The ability that she has to move between both styles is the most impressive aspect of the music Audi3k creates.
FEEL SO NUMB, track four, stood out to me for its unique structure and melodic hook. Audi3k toes the line between rapping and singing extraordinarily well, and this song is certainly no exception. The song opens with a simple beat that sets the vibe of the lyrics. After the opening hook sounds, the song transitions into a spoken voicemail of sorts that plays as the melodic hooks and other lyrics stay in the background. As it fades out, the song picks up, and Audi3k transitions from the singing in the hook to rapping through the verses. The different structure of the song not only keeps listeners on their toes but shows how Audi3k follows the storytelling and doesn’t necessarily stay within any typical structures of rap and pop music.
When talking about the music she creates, Audi3k stated, “Like I still listen to even Detroit Music, and stuff like that, and I can make that type of music because I’m from the East Side of Buffalo and that’s what we listen to,” she said on No Label The Podcast. She prides herself on growing up in Buffalo and in the Buffalo Music Scene, which she expounds on in track six, NECESSITIES.
As you listen through the entire album, you can hear all of the aspects and influences from other music scenes, from Detroit to Atlanta, and specifically the music of Buffalo, that have had on Audi3k. She notes, “I tried to kinda take a little bit from everything and do like a fusion of it.” The synthesis of these styles of music, combined with Audi3k’s own personal tastes and background, gives her music an edge.
Stream The ANTi HERO on Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer and iHeartRadio. Check out @audi3k on Instagram and YouTube to keep up with what she’s up to and her live shows and other creative projects.