Active since ’93, Ratarue never stopped challenging himself. ‘Steam’ is his latest release, one that showcases the artist’s expressionism
No stranger to the stage or music production, Austin’s Ratarue has continually developed his sound. From experimenting to production techniques to touring around several states, ‘Steam’ is the latest addition to his catalogue.
A collaborative effort, ‘Stream’ features graffiti writer Sloke One, as well as actress and singer-songwriter ‘Sharky’. Blending Jazz and Hip-Hop, Ratarue hopes to strike a nerve with both dedicated and mainstream listeners, without sacrificing his intentions.
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Curated with thorough attention to detail and purposeful lyricism, ‘Steam’ hopes to reach across genre and listeners to find connection.
The track is ominous, layered with beats and instrumental samples that wrap around each other.
Ratarue’s flow feels more like slam poetry, spoken-word commentary in his low timbre, with a few interesting melodic choices and unexpected rhyming sequences.
‘Steam’ is an easy listen, relaxing and old-school in its vocal production.
There’s a lot to listen to in the lyricism, but even surface listeners will ease into the cadence of Ratarue.
The last 30 seconds of the track are laced with a sample, and the sound of graffiti cans being sprayed. The chorus of ‘Steam’ recalls early 90s rap-rock, a nice fusion of genre that repeats but only twice.
Ratarue has a unique presence, his tone recognisable and memorable and the subtle theatricality of his production adds a fresh layer to his words.
The rapper has a knack for fitting a verbose phrase against another, without things feeling too ambitious or solipsistic.
‘Steam’ improves with each listen, a new phrase that suddenly becomes clearer or a sequence that showcases the producer’s word play.
The production itself is sparse and unconfined, swelling strings and uneasy piano over a repetitive hats focused groove.
The simplicity and repetitious nature works in Ratarue’s favour, keeping the focus on his narrative while assisting in painting the darkest colours of the picture.
‘Steam’ is a track that deserves a listen, and maybe even a few more after that.
Listen to ‘Steam’ and more from Ratarue below.
