G-HOLY
Bison ‘Greed and Depression’ EP Review
The EP starts out with “Still Liverpool”. A lyrical montage of the hardships growing up in the aforementioned Sydney city. This includes a reveal that Bison’s best friend committed suicide. Heavy topics, including the his relationship with law enforcement are tackled through a double time flow over an instrumental you’d find under “chill type beat”.
“Bin Ladens” takes a similar tone but the soundscape is notably darker. Honestly, it could, legit, be a B-Side to track one. The flow is also flat out refreshing. The 2nd verse’s flow is a cross between 2Pac & Project Pat. “DNA” sees a feature guest who absolutely marries the Drake ‘So Far Gone’ like production with a stellar verse. Bison anchors with his veteran presence. The flange-filtered hook may be the star here, however.
We have a sample.
One track four, “Good Man”, Greed And Depression takes its sharpest turn, sonically. Boasting the EP’s best sound bed, Bison wastes no time. In the same vein as Jeezy on ‘The Recession’, our main character barrels through the perals of living in a first world society in 2024. All of this, while never forgetting to keep the bars crisp.
This uptempo energy continues with “Hustle and The Bustle”. Bison lets up on the gut-wrenching topics, in lieu of challenging rappers and spitting like he “just turned 25”. There’s a hilarious Forester Witaker punchline that I won’t repeat here, simply because it’s even funnier when he says it. Greed And Depression ends with “Depression”, lyrically mirroring “Still Liverpool” but in POV form. If the introduction track is a movie, the outro is a documentary. The EP actually closes better than it started. Rare.
Over 6 tracks, Bison takes us on a safari ride through Liverpool and his own mind. He stays razor-sharp and consistent in his vocal delivery throughout. If the EP has any drawbacks, it’s that it starts out so slow that some may cut it off before it gets to the best part, the latter half. Bison is obviously a real veteran emcee & Greed And Depression is a showcase of lyrical ability, thematic consistency, unique presence & authenticity.
