Released: February 2, 2024

Genre: Hip-hop / Ambient

From: UK

Label: Everything Is Perfect Records

Why you should listen: Birmingham-based hip-hop producer and emcee Tony Bontana has released a new project titled L’Humanité, dedicated to his late mother. He’s been on my radar for a few years now, creating some of the most forward-thinking and genre-pushing production out there, with soulful and neck-snapping beats throughout his discography that are truly exceptional. L’Humanité is a 15-track album featuring production from himself as well as talented producers Dan Oddysee, djnoonsomewhere, oghost, Leo Sierra and Spruce. “WMD” opens up with a sample of his mom speaking, before some bass-heavy drumming kicks in, and Tony Bontana’s introspections about grief and his experience dealing with the depth of loss, while the soul sample on “Sittin’ On a Star Freestyle” is incredible and adds to the weight of his words, again talking about his state of mind, grief and the importance of friends and family in his life that make him who he is today. The vocal sample and beat on “Poets Proze” is crazy, as Tony Bontana’s emphatic delivery is poignant and brings out the emotion of his words perfectly. The sonic texture of “dontbeafraid” is soulful, with an incredible and synth melodies that complement the hard-hitting verse throughout the track. The bass-heavy drumming on “Sum Time” hits hard, while the subdued energy of “Pool of Wax” featuring Ubiquiy is beautiful and reflective. The groovy basslines and soul melody on “One Time” are lush, while the woozy tone of “It’s The Little Things” make it an almost psychedelic, disorienting listening experience. “Selly Oak Park” has an impressive self-empowering and therapeutic verse, with a piano-led composition that is smooth and pretty. The project closes out with 5 different compositions titled “Reach Out – Movement”. They are beautiful and ambient, each reflective and powerful, and while I very much enjoyed the album at this point, these musical experiments are absolutely stunning and speak to Tony Bontana’s talents as an artist, and his penchant for experimentation. These feel like meditations and therapy over the passing of his mother, and are an absolutely stunning way to close out the project. L’Humanité is a phenomenal and personal body of work that stands amongst Tony Bontana’s most defined to date.

The album: