Towkio is one of the most talented musicians in the business right now. After releasing multiple EP’s and mixtapes, he recently released his first album “WWW.” The album features prominent artists Teddy Jackson, Grace Weber, SZA, Vic Mensa, and NJOMZA.

---

TOP 5

 

 

5. DISCO

Every time I hear this song I start bouncing around; whether I’m sitting down or standing up. If you like N.E.R.D., you’ll probably love this song, because it incorporates that same chaotic sound The Neptunes made famous. Towkio’s rapping style is very simple and old school on “Disco,” which is actually my favorite thing about this song. It’s very easy to memorize and fun to rap along to.

Although the song is called Disco, the beat is closer to electronica meets beats and breaks. Towkio raps like the fourth member of RUN DMC or the Beastie Boys on it.

This is the song most likely to get stuck in your head, so listeners be warned!

 

 

4. FOREVER

“Forever” features Vic Mensa, a beautiful instrumental, and a tragically inspirational tale of growing up in Chicago and overcoming struggle. Vic Mensa, who like Towkio is also from Chicago, mentions the hardships the poor and disenfranchised face in his hometown.

Towkio raps about using pills to numb the trauma of seeing friends get shot, and likens Chicago to the “City of God.” (The movie City of God, set in the Brazilian suburb of Cidade de Deus, follows a group of children to uncover a story of crime organized by teenagers. They terrorized the town and killed whoever got in the way of their schemes.  The film humanized the children who were generally painted as criminals and accurately depicted their fear and innocence as they grow older (not necessarily wiser) in a town filled with corruption.) The chorus of this song, sung by the innocent voices of children ‘wishing they could live forever,’ tugs at the heart given the crisis of the rising homicide rate in Chicago. “Forever” serves both as a tribute to Towkio and Vic Mensa’s hometown as well a message that spreads awareness.

 

 

3. 2 DA MOON

Towkio gives us a funky dance track with “2 Da Moon. This song is heavy on the bass just like any great techno- inspired tune. Grace Weber’s sensational vocals bless us with a catchy chorus alongside Teddy Jackson. Her vocals add that signature flair found in most electronic dance songs. The instrumental is what originally drew me to “2 Da Moon” and is also what kept me coming back to listen again and again.

Towkio seems to have a clear and steady flow that he rarely strays from throughout the album. He and Teddy Jackson are a flawless combination and I hope to see more of these two working together in the future.

 

 

2. HATE TO LOVE

I personally hadn’t heard of NJOMZA before listening to “Hate To Love,” but I am definitely a major fan now. NJOMZA steals the show on this song, although Towkio has already proven his worth with the other 12 bangers on his album.

Towkio cited Lil Wayne and Kanye as some of his biggest musical influences in his life, and here, he uses auto-tune and gives a shoutout to Kanye in the line “Now Mr. Heartbreak like 808.”

“Hate To Love” is one of those universally great songs that’s just hard to hate. Towkio and NJOMZA complement one another’s sound and blend together in a way that is almost hypnotic. I believe this song has the potential to be the biggest hit from the album.

 

1. SYMPHONY

Towkio and Teddy Jackson reunite for this upbeat track. It’s a love song with an ode to the opening line of Justin Timberlake’s “My Love” in the chorus. What would you do “If I wrote you a symphony?” is the question at hand.

The strings in the background emulate a symphony like the title. Also, although this is a studio recording, it sounds as if the instrumental features a live jazz band. The tempo speeds up and slows back down without the hand claps and drum solos or bass guitar missing a single beat. I absolutely adore this song and have been playing it for weeks and still cannot get enough of it!

---

 

SONG BY SONG BREAKDOWN

1. SWIM (5/5)

2. SYMPHONY (5/5)

3. HOT SHIT (5/5)

4. LOOSE (5/5)

5. 2 DA MOON (5/5)

6. MORNING VIEW (5/5)

7. FOREVER (5/5)

8. CNTRL (5/5)

9. DRIFT (5/5)

10. DISCO (5/5)

11. LOSE ME (I DON’T MIND) (5/5)

12. HATE TO LOVE (5/5)

13. ALONE (5/5)

---

 OVERALL RATING

(10/10)

 

Every song on this album is perfect, to me. You can tell Towkio draws his inspirations from a wide variety of musical styles as shown by the diversified assortment of genres he manages to bridge on “WWW.”

Born to a Japanese father and Mexican mother in Chicago Illinios, I assume Towkio has been “different” or “unique” since birth, and his music demonstrates that. This whole album is one giant unique mix of blended sounds spanning various cultures.

What I like about Towkio is his ability to provide a song for every mood on one album. If I’m feeling peppy I can listen to Drift, Disco, or Symphony. If I’m feeling soulful and reflective I can listen to Swim, Morning View, or Forever. For chiller vibes there’s Loose, Lose Me (I Don’t Mind), and CNTRL. For a fun time Hot Shit and 2 Da Moon are the songs to go to.  Lastly, for the gloomier days, there’s Hate To Love and Alone. Shoutout to Tidal for putting me on to a fresh new artist. “WWW.” will most likely stay in my daily rotation for the rest of the year.