Kung Fu Vampire- Come Dawn

Kung Fu Vampire has made his mark on the underground hip hop scene with his own style artfully dubbed “Gothic Hip Hop”.  Throughout the years his sound and appearance have evolved but the one constant has been his work ethic and drive to succeed.  His performances include a bass and drummer but have in the past included a lot of different live musicians.  After many years of touring he has returned with his first album since his 2016 release called “Look Alive”.  Will he continue to impress or will he fall into the abyss known as the Underground?

Track listing

1986

Baddies

My Turn (ft. X-Raided)

Madonna

Love at First Bite

The King (ft. Gorilla Voltage)

Trapped in Hell (ft. FUTURISTIC)

Smoke Me

Rubix

One Night

Tearin’ Up Yo City (ft. Dirtbag Dan)

Be Alright (ft. Prohoezak & 1 Ton of Potluck)

Weep In Silence

Hologram (ft. Bukshot, The Jokerr, Dikulz, C-Mob, K Daver, Mars)

Neighborhood (ft. cuts by DJ Clay)

Track Ratings

1986– This track has a dope mix of old school flavor with a more new school flow.  The beat is a serious banger.  The verses are well put together and mix well with the beat.  The hook is super catchy.  This track is a great start to this album.  4.5/5

Baddies– A definite change in energy from the first track.  The flow remains more modern but the beat and vibe are more the gothic hip hop we have come to know from KFV.  The beat is slow, dark and driving and that works well against his signature quicker flow.  4/5

My Turn (ft. X-Raided)– Another slow beat but not as dark as Baddies.  The auto-tune in the chorus is ok but might have been a bit much.  X-Raided provides a solid verse and counter to KFV and his flow.  He brings a definite vibe of modern rap that works here.  3.5/5

Madonna- This track leads off with a super heavy driving beat.  The feel here is very new school which continues that trend on this album.  KFV is an amazing lyricist and it shows here.  The hook is simple but effective.  4/5

Love at First Bite- The vibe of this track reminds the listener of an Outkast track, especially in the hook.  The beat has a funk vibe and that is a nice change of pace here.  KFV is known for taking risks with sounds and crossing into older types of beats and this is one of those tracks.  4/5

The King (ft. Gorilla Voltage)- The change of pace continues here.  The beat is very electronic heavy but works super well with the hook.  GV provides very solid verses and rounds the track out really well.  The three differing styles in the track make this a solid addition to this album.  4.5/5

Trapped in Hell (ft. FUTURISTIC)- This was one of the first videos off this album and includes Futuristic.  It shows the evolution of KFV into the new era.  The hook is simple but works here.  Futuristic provides a really well put together verse.  3.5/5

Smoke Me- A much darker vibe leads this one.  The verses are well written and mixed well against that dark feel.  The hook is reminiscent of a Tech N9ne track.  A solid track but not as good as some on the album.  3/5

Rubix- A simple beat that allows KFV to show his freestyle flow and also highlights his lyrical abilities.  3.5/5

One Night- The track leads off with a sound similar to his Duality track.  The feel is darker once again but the verses have good flow.  The hook is simple in its writing but it allows the rest of the lyrics to stand out.  3.5/5

Tearin’ Up Yo City (ft. Dirtbag Dan)- A super heavy beat backs this track.  The bass is super deep and will kick well in a club.  This track will definitely play well live.  Dirtbag Dan adds a really good verse.  4/5

Be Alright (ft. Prohoezak & 1 Ton of Potluck)- Classic beat pushes this track along.  It has a really reggae feel.  1 Ton leads the track off and shows the ability to hang strong with KFV.  A solid track that adds another change of pace on this album. 4/5

Weep In Silence- The beat in this track is very disjointed but it works with the flow. This track pays homage to the struggles we all go through.  The auto-tune is again a little much in the hook.  The verses are really solid and give a good message.  3.5/5

Hologram (ft. Bukshot, The Jokerr, Dikulz, C-Mob, K Daver, Mars)- It is very hard to make this many features work together but this track is very successful.  The beat is slower but it allows the various flows to cohesively work.  The hook is solid and adds a depth to the overall enjoyment.  4.5/5

Neighborhood (ft. cuts by DJ Clay)- This hard hitting beat scream Cali and Kung Fu Vampire.  The flow is quick and gives way to a super catchy hook that throws props to the classic line “When I’m in your neighborhood you better duck” from NWA.  This track ends this album with appropriate energy and leaves the listener content.  4.5/5

 

Overall Rating: 3.9/5

Conclusion:  With his latest album in the can Kung Fu Vampire proves why he has been relevant for so long.  His dynamic lyrics and unique style is on display throughout the entire album.  The beats and styles vary and keep the listener intrigued and wanting to see whats next.  The one criticism might be trying the new style of rap a little much in the first half of the album but it works.  I could easily see this album attracting fans old and new.

 

Release date: Aug 30, 2019

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from Faygoluvers