Asian Junkie Asian pop. Without discretion.
I had never heard of NP Union before I happened to stumble upon their “GEEKY FREAKY” release, but I’m glad I did and got to experience their brand of hip-hop.
I was drawn into this effort from the get go thanks to the inclusion of a band as they got their The Roots on, with the instrumental being powered not only by drums but also a prominent brass section, including the rare use of a tuba. It reminded me of a chilled-out version of Yoon Mi Rae‘s “Pay Day“, which is definitely as good a place as any to start when it comes to catchy foundations. Sonically it’s just a lot of fun to listen to and would probably be even better to experience live.
While that’s important, it wouldn’t amount to much without an equally skilled performance to match. The track’s pacing almost requires that something fills in the gaps, and thankfully the rapper was up to the task, showcasing skill and a nice diversified flow that effectively carried the song through the verses throughout the track.
I didn’t expect to be so thoroughly engaged by something I found browsing late at night, but their fusion of a band and hip-hop was so well executed that I had no choice but to take notice. Hopefully we hear from NP Union again in the future as it’ll be interesting to see where they end up going with their sound.
