Bison proves to be a rare breed w/ ‘Virgo’ EP

Bison finally lands his first EP, Virgo. How’s it sounding? Let’s see:

Nostalgia is the number one drug in music. Remember “party people”, and feel good music? Carefree moments are often the most tied to our subconscious in a positive way. Bison is bringing that feel.

Slice of life tracks are a proven, yet heavily overlooked formula. Virgo has plenty to share in this vein, like the title track “Virgo“. Exactly what it sounds like, Bison lays out his character as a quintessential version of his sun sign: “I get alone with my demons, yeah I’m a virgo/I never go back on my word, cause I’m a virgo” he spits.

The highlight of this particular vibration is the the EP’s intro, “Welcome 2 DA Southwest“. With West Coast inspired production and an Ice Cube-esque delivery and song structure, is hard to tell this isn’t an L.A. classic. Definitely a frontrunner for a lead single.

It could be the fact that Bison is a New Zealand born, Australia‘s Liverpool Southwest representer raised in Somoa but he has an international appeal. His approach is that of a late 80’s/early 90’s storyteller; concise and visual. Who knows if he can rap the the “big boys”? It just seemingly is not to be his focus.

Bison prefers to get his point across than present as a wordsmith. His gravely voice, accurate flow and husky delivery are crisp enough to get by on any track. Sad to say, when rappers are message-driven, their lyricism slider falls drastically to a certain group of fans. Ask Tupac.

Imperfections aside, “I’m from Liverpool” is the first signs of morbidity, where he raps: “I’m form Liverpool, they call my city full of crime and depression/Addicts walk around like they’re zombies, looking out for another injection“.

This is immediately offset by the 420-approved, “Forbidden Fruits”. On it, Bison proposes to “smoke and fly” instead of drink and drive. It’s so well-produced, it brings us to our next point:

While you may be able to tell Virgo is Bison’s debut EP, the beats are a step above the “demo phase”. Outside of “Summertime“, which crosses the Pop-Rap threshold (not in a great way), Virgo’s soundscape is efficiently crafted.

Overall, Virgo goes over ably. It’s a fine listen, built for 30 minute drives that could’ve been 10.

In all fairness, though, it may be too fair. It’s “down-the-middle” resonance could be a gift and a curse. Only time can tell. As for Bison, himself: If he continues on this frequency, he’ll be a for sure standout in today’s landscape. His talent may be in his person, even more so than his projects. Think: Wiz Khalifa. He has an undeniable “it”, that if spotlighted, could make him a certified star.