Artist: Garcia
Album: Off The Beaten Path EP
Source: DJ Booth
Tracklisting:
1. Intro
2. We The Only Ones (ft. Omniscient, AG Lyonz)
3. Stolen Soul (ft. J. Nics, Bernz)
4. What I’m Sayin
5. 2 Gun Salute (ft. N.O.R.E.)
6. Why Not Me (ft. Reks)
7. Sadist Game (ft. Wrekonize)
8. About Her
9. Coming Home (Outro)
Note:
I caught this release off of DJ Booth the other day. I wasn’t expecting it, nor did I truly know who Garcia even was. I saw that he had the crew from MayDay and J. Nics on the release and that was enough to pique my interest.
Well, the end result is that I think this EP is, simply put,…excellent. This EP is only nine tracks deep but that really is suitable to serve as an introduction to a new audience. It also really gets one anticipating a full length release. There are two tracks, that I will talk about, that I feel are both contenders for Top 50 consideration for the year. (I know it’s way early for that talk, but that’s how I feel).
Stolen Soul is a well produced track that really stands out on a project of stand outs. The sample from The Cardigans, Please Sister serves as the chorus. It really gives the song added depth:
A sampled heart beat and a stolen soul / I sold my songs to have my fortune told
The song is in no hurry to be over. The beat is almost like a trance with the synth and piano. The fact that the track is produced by Miami Beat Wave should come as no surprise. They have a long history of making memorable tracks with some of Florida’s finest. The emcees all bring something worthwhile to the mic. Garcia has deep, yet raspy voice. J. Nics has the very bassy tone, and AG Lyonz has, in comparison, a higher pitch. The different flows and styles, with this beat, make it something that can be rewound and listened to again and again.
The next in the line of notable tracks is 2 Gun Salute. This is a banger. When you listen to this song you have to turn it up on full blast to get the full effect. Miami Beat Wave is once again on the boards and delivers some Phantom Of The Opera type keys over some banging drums at a high bpm. This track’s intensity can not be overstated. It will definitely get you amped. The joint features N.O.R.E. That’s all well and good but no one is outshining the host:
They’re screaming bloody murder, when I’m jumping on the track now / Back down / WWE Smackdown / Crack down / Flatline your whole rhyme / I ain’t a boss, I’m why the bosses resign / Feline, pussy n*&#as by design / Hungry mouths that heard together at feed time / I stays quiet, chilling up on my own two / But pass the mic, like real estate I own you…
Garcia is really strong throughout, and that is just a taste of what this project represents.
Off The Beaten Path, is unequivocally one of the best demonstrations of what hip hop is capable of in Florida. It is the best of the best. As a listener, and a fan, you could not ask for more out of nine tracks. The production is dope throughout and with the two tracks that I mentioned, I believe it to be flawless. Garcia is an extremely talented artist. He has a great flow and voice as an emcee. The production draws you into the track but, he is the one who keeps you entertained. I am a fan, and I guarantee that if you like hip hop, you will be one too after a listen.
Hip Hop Dependency 