+Bisco Smith - Fresh Water

"Bisco's debut album has a decidedly dark, creepy and measured ambience, much like a thriller when the hero is about to turn the corner... he examines the fragile nature of our existence." - The Source

"Bisco is continuing the longstanding NY tradition of cutting edge hip-hop." - Skunk Magazine


The Song:

Bisco Smith's last album, When Electric Night Falls, was called "decidedly dark [and] creepy," as well as a continuation of "the longstanding NY tradition of cutting edge hip-hop." His new album The Broadcast shows him hitting an entirely new echelon in the world of hip-hop and music at large- Bisco has grown leaps and bounds musically, lyrically, and thematically. Bisco's music, always rich in imagery, delves uniquely into the theme of media transmissions throughout The Broadcast. The second single from the album, "Fresh Water," is an explicit exploration of radio broadcasting and its influence in the music world. Like many of Bisco's tracks, "Fresh Water," produced by longtime collaborator J. Vegus, is simultaneously grimy sounding and extremely musically engaging.

"Fresh Water" addresses how powerful of an authority mainstream radio is, and just how sinister its influence can be on impressionable ears. Bisco was clearly influenced by his experience being somewhat of a hip-hop tutor to kids in his spare time when writing "Fresh Water." "The whole song was written really for the younger radio influenced world - trying to fight the misconceptions that get fed to them," Bisco says. Indeed, listening to the radio can often feel like a muddled and toxic experience, desperately in need of some "fresh" angles and artists. While the radio may be in dire straights, Bisco Smith isn’t ready to give up hope quite yet. "I'm not saying the water's too dirty to swim, but the oxygen is definitely thin. There is an antidote to the poison, you just have to go find it."

Bisco Smith's second full-length album The Broadcast will be available January 19, 2010.

Rate this article:   20 14