Flatbush Zombies - now, more than ever (EP Review)

The rap trio Flatbush Zombies are back with their new EP titled 'now, more than ever'. The small EP is just some quarantine music to get us through the lockdown period, lasting 20 minutes and consisting of 6 songs - but the question is, will it be good.

The production on this album is chaotic for the most part behind the usual trap elements of 808s, hi-hats etc. but with so much going on behind it, it sounds great. The 6 tracks all hold similar elements but each of the 6 beats are distinctive in a different way while holding a common identity. It's pretty psychedelic and trippy, as shown on the track 'blessings', which is a more slower, catchier and vibier beat of the project with a nice hook and solid verses - it's decent but doesn't do much to bring you back. 'iamlegend' has another catchy trap beat with sliding 808s as Meechy cruises over it with some poetic bars and Erick gives us some good wordplay. It's a good song to be fair.

As for the rappers, they produce lyrical trap here. Zombie Juice is a bit basic but Erick the Architect is decent and showcases slight complexity and decent wordplay throughout as Meechy Darko is the best of the three with his complex lines, poetic bars and just lyrics in general. "I'm bowling with pins of woes, more than convinced I'm old" is a great line from Erick on 'dirty elevator music', as the track is a catchy song from the beat down to the hook with a more old-school boom bap style featuring a piano and catchy drum pattern. 'when i'm gone' is a great finale to the EP with this simplistic but catchy synth-infused beat where Sophie Faith captures the atmosphere of the song perfectly as the three rappers go introspective talking on personal issues and problems with the streets of New York, "Tired of n***** beatin' up women // Tired of women hatin' on men // Baby ma tryin' to control shit // Play the victim, seen the roles switch (It's like)" - Zombie Juice says in his verse. It's an emotional end to the EP and a great song (even if Zombie sounds like a cheap NF). The delivery of the three are very different, Zombie being more comical, Erick more melody and Meechy more husky and aggressive - and the different styles blend together well at times, showcased on the opening track 'herb'. The hook performed by Zombie is catchy on this song, silly but catchy, as the talk about drugs and girls. The beat is eerie but still banging and Meechy in particular gives us some decent lines, "Nothing's more creative than a hater's imagination".

Content wise there's some good subject matter in these 6 tracks - they talk on police brutality, personal struggles between them (as shown on 'when i'm gone') and obviously have other tracks on drugs and girls as such (like 'herb'). Meechy has a solo track on here titled 'quicksand' which focuses on his depression and problems over this melancholy and desperate feeling trap beat, "My problems is real, mama, my problems is real // I tried to run from my problems until I bloodied my heels // I swallow my courage and then I swallow my fears // And then I swallow every ounce left in the bottle that's near". This song isn't bad but not good either, it's too slow moving at times and probably the only song I could easily skip on this.

To conclude, this short project is easy to throw on but I still think it lacks replay value to a degree. The mash up of different styles makes this very unique for its size, but I think it for a full length project or could come off disjointed or awkward. A good EP, might come back to it a few times but doesn't crack top 10 of the year personally.

FAVOURITE TRACKS: herb, iamlegend, dirty elevator music, blessings, when i'm gone

LEAST FAVOURITE TRACK: quicksand

OVERALL RATING: Light 7.5/10

*REVISED SCORE: Review may not match favourite tracks and overall rating because I've since re-listened and changed my score.*