Pasco, Washington host, singer/songwriter and producer C. Ray releases his fifth EP on Bandcamp without any warning. Twisted Insane famously signed to Brainsick Muzik over a decade ago and went on to become one of the label’s greatest artists, releasing a total of 8 full-length studio albums over nearly 14 years as well as The last 4 EPs and a mixtape. But as the second anniversary of Ray Day and Know0n3 approaches this spring, Ray Al Gul is finally back.
“Oblivion” opens with an apocalyptic homemade instrumental that clarifies that he doesn’t even speak without thinking, while “NTTS (No Time to Stop)” brings more general trap flare, talking about how he There’s no time to slow down. “In My Bag” works with some horns and hi-hats, setting the stage for him to come into his own in the three and a half minutes before “Here We Go” lets everyone know not to fuck with him.
Meanwhile, on “All That,” we get C. Ray expressing his dissatisfaction with everything being boxed in instead of more trap-making, while “Hold Up” talks about never being with a hero and fighting for the way out Struggle into the abyss. “Bombay” draws inspiration from reggae to create a weed-smoking anthem, while Jag’s “Halo” mixes g-funk and trap to lay low in the clouds. “Watching” ends the EP with a hardcore boom bap heater, saving some of the hardest bars for last.
Light Born has quickly become my favorite full-length of C. Ray’s albums since its initial release a year and a half ago, but Ray Al Gul maintains a high level of quality that suggests it’s his best since ’s work and the best EP to date. His work ranges from Boom Bap to Trap and even G-Funk and reggae to a lesser extent, showcasing his versatility as a performer and captivating lyrics.
Score: 8/10
