Sick.Life: “Dreamers” – a perfect match between raw lyrical muscle and dynamic production

Sick.Life a collective of artists and an independent music label based in El Paso, Texas. A couple of months back they released their critically acclaimed album, entitled “Contagion”. Now off that album comes the single “Dreamers” produced by NZO, and featuring Josh Brown on the chorus and bridge, while the verses are handled in order of appearance, by Sonny Weston, Lavoe, C.Notes and E$ BFNE. For hip-hop fans growing up in the 21^st century, the Sick.Life collective is simply a perfect match between raw lyrical muscle and dynamic production.

I listened to the track last night with the intention of writing a review on here today, and the depth of my indulgence put the track on continuous play. Most label collectives focus on showcasing the diversity and talent of the roster, and this is the case with rapping on “Dreamers”.

Though everyone is working towards the same theme, each rapper has his own transcendent flow. So while NZO showcases a brilliant minimal production, the rapping crew of Sick.Life does a remarkable job of making the track crackle and pop.

There is so much spirit in this track, Sick.Life conveys emotion so well in their music. Perhaps it is the rare mix of sounds and voices interacting unexpectedly between the elegant, thought provoking poetic verses. They connect on levels with the audience that goes far beyond the specifics of an upbringing. They breakdown their storytelling with genuineness and skill that is rare in the genre.

Having a handful of extremely talented rappers, each with their own unique vocal style and lyrical perspective definitely helps keep the music fresh with a wide variety of vocal stylings throughout the song. They wear their regional culture on their sleeve with pride, but it never gets tedious and is actually refreshing compared to the tired musings of LA, Houston, Detroit and New York that seem to dominate most rappers vocabulary.

Sick.Life’s lyrics prove to be increasingly substantial. There’s definitely more than gangsta posturing here and the combination of the streetwise and philosophical is more often the rule, not the exception. In a lot of ways, Sick.Life’s is the perfect balance – daring enough to bring in new crowds, and conscious enough to appeal to what most mainstream listeners assume hip-hop is.

For those who appreciate a little artistic license in subject matter, the rapping is formidable from all the emcees. The rhymes are never forced, the rhythms sync effortlessly with the crisp production, never lagging behind the beat, and Josh Brown, Sonny Weston, Lavoe, C.Notes and E$ BFNE don’t merely trade verses, they share them.

They operate in total synergy, a perfect team, and their abilities never flag, from the beginning of the record to the end. Subscribe on YouTube at SickLifeVEVO. Find Sick.Life on all Streaming Services & iTunes. Download the Sick.Life App in the iTunes App Store & Google Play Store.