Though small compared to its urban brethren, Richmond has transformed into its own style of concrete jungle. Intertwined groups of hipsters, students, and just plain grimey people around the town give it a culture like no other.
Though small compared to its urban brethren, Richmond has transformed into its own style of concrete jungle. Intertwined groups of hipsters, students, and just plain grimey people around the town give it a culture like no other.
As the Brooklyn of the South, the music scene in RVA has its highs and lows, with booms of Hip Hop, Indie, and more recently Electronic influences. Embracing sounds hated by the mainstream, the artistic underground has produced all types of projects that push the limits and turn heads. Daily events showcase the talent that creeps between the dirty cracks of Broad Street, hidden in art lofts and hip bars. At times overshadowed by its sister city Washington DC, the town inevitably took to Moombahton, a genre that evolved from the house party culture. With a plethora of new producers in the game, competition is tough. New tracks drop daily, as everyone pushes to get their name out to the masses.
Summertime lends plenty of opportunities for local talent to hit the studio and perfect their sound, and this year many of the residents teamed together to release Jungle Juice Vol. 1, a bass-filled preview of what can be expected on a nightly basis. Every producer on here has one love, and that passion is found behind the decks and on the mix board. Through various interpretations of genre, the compilation features the freshest sounds of the underground. Tracks include traditional Mommbah flavor from names such as Beat Down the Kid and Wretch. The notorious M.A.S.S. Fx drops a dubstepping killer to put Smash himself on the floor. Tron Cartier sings in tune with the times, and brings trap to the deck. Finally the orchestrator of the album, Hoyt!, introduces his new sound with some old-school flavor and a bit of disco. With many more producers well known in the RVA circuit, this is a must listen. Oh, and did we mention it’s free? Grab these tracks and get ready for the school year. The raging parties are sure to come soon.
