Don Esco – Monday Through Sunday (Lost Records)

It’s been a while since we had a hip-hop artist on our pages. Somehow this genre always gets under the rug for no particular reason. Luckily, I recently received a debut by a very talented rapper who can pair even some renowned names in the genre. Don Esco is an American rapper, songwriter, record executive from Aurora, Illinois, who currently resides in San Diego, California. Being heavily inspired by Nas, he derived his moniker from the rapper’s second stage name Escobar into his stage name Esco. Since his inception, Don Esco released two singles, Guilt Trip and Henny & Corona. He also did collabs with Young Vin, MackStar Mitchy, and King Stew. Still, it seems that nothing can beat his latest recordings.

Monday Through Sunday represents a debut full-length recording consisting of seven detailed hip-hop tunes. His style might fall under contemporary hip hop sound, but there are some interferences of mid to late-nineties hip hop implemented throughout the entire album. You’ll instantly notice his impressive rapping skills as soon as you pass the overture. Don Esco is the lyric mastermind, an artist who thoughtfully assembles rhymes and focuses on storytelling. His compositions are acting as profoundly detailed tales about our surroundings and the world we live in, but he also shares his perspective about these topics. Each number includes luxurious lyrics thoroughly planned to match the music.

Don Esco explores the sonic aesthetics of West Coast hip hop. Nearly every composition contains an engaging melodic theme, supported by a heavy rhythmic section. These melodies are leading the way through the entire album, just as his lyrics and rapping skills. However, Don Esco also pays a lot of attention to the dynamic rhythm section, built upon powerful low-end tones and robust beats. Each one of these rhythmic structures gives enough energy to the beforementioned melodic themes and keeps the energy flowing from scratch to finish. Perhaps the rhythm section perfectly matches the polyphonic segments, but it also gives a little bit of a contrast to the mellowness of those melodic themes. Monday Through Sunday appears as a compact, complex, detailed material that carries a specter of sonic delicacies that will unquestionably indulge listening apparatuses of hip hop fans. You can listen to the entire album on Spotify and Apple Music.