Photo by Jake Kivanç
Halal Gang member SAFE has taken a break from rap recently but has made a steady comeback by reuploading his material to streaming services. Turns out that was a just a prelude to a surprise release of new material. The self-titled project is just three tracks and it's not known if this is a standalone EP or a part of an album soon to come, but the music slaps in that characteristic Toronto fashion."New Regime" is driven by a dark beat and SAFE's pointillist use of Autotune, while "Are You Scared Pt. 1" is the eeriest piece of neo-dancehall to emerge from the city, with SAFE's voice barely rising above a raspy whisper. Rihanna songwriter Bibi Bourelly guests on the brief R&B cut "Pull Up," completing the three-track cross-section of Toronto hip-hop at its strongest. Stream all three tracks below.
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