Milwaukee has been producing quite a few exciting Hip Hop artists over the last couple of years. With rappers like Ishdarr, Wave Chapelle, Lakeyah, and Destinee Lynn popping off online and doing numbers online, it seems like there are more eyes on artists coming out of Milwaukee than ever. I am glad this is the case, as there are so many fun and exciting rising Hip hop artists in Milwaukee right now. One of my favorite rappers coming up in Milwaukee currently is Cardiac Da Pulse. He is someone I discovered and I have been following for the last year or so. I am very glad to have come across his music, as he has such a fresh and unique sound compared to most of the other rappers in Milwaukee right now. Milwaukee rappers have a reputation for more harsh and aggressive music, and I appreciate how Cardiac Da Pulse takes a different approach to his instrumentals and delivery. Cardiac Da Pulse has a sound that sounds classic and modern at the same time; it goes hard yet is so smooth at the same time. That said, here is my opinion on Cardiac Da Pulse’s new project Blue Roses. Please let me know how you feel about Blue Roses in the comments below, and also comment on what your favorite songs from the project are.
Blue Roses starts out with a brief introduction track called ‘Blue Reflections’ which features Brit Nicole. Cardiac Da Pulse does not actually contribute vocally to this track; instead, ‘Blue Reflections’ is a one-and-a-half-minute spoken word bit from Brit Nicole. Over an uplifting, Heavenly piano riff that has a 90s R&B sound, Brit Nicole delivers some words of encouragement and self-acceptance. Brit Nicole talks about how change is not a bad thing and how we can always count our blessings and learn from our struggles or mistakes. ‘Up & Up’ keeps the warm and inspiring 90’s R&B sound from the last song going. The melody is provided by a sweet synth that sounds like a violin with a keyboard riff and some backing vocals to accompany it. This melody is put over a Trap beat, which I like a lot because it gives the instrumental a bit of attitude. I enjoy how this song is mixed, as the sound effects and ad-libs add so much texture to the song. Cardiac Da Pulse’s delivery, which sort of reminds me of DMX on this song, is pretty aggressive on ‘Up & Up.’ It creates a nice juxtaposition with the instrumental and gives the song the added level of energy it needs. In ‘Up & Up,’ Cardiac Da Pulse is talking about bringing your boys with you when you start to become successful. It is about supporting your friends who have always been there for you when you have the means to do so. ‘Drumwork’ has a lot more of an aggressive of a sound than the song that precedes it. Even though the drums are arranged in a way that resembles traditional Trap music, there is something about this track that makes me think of NY Drill music. Maybe it is the melody, which sounds like chimes blowing in the wind in the distance. The melody has a foreboding quality to it that makes this song very intense. Cardiac Da Pulse has a delivery that is just as tough and hostile as the instrumental is. He matches the energy of the instrumental perfectly with his delivery. On ‘Drumwork,’ Cardiac Da Pulse is calling out other fake rappers in the game right now and stating that he is one of the best artists coming up in Hip Hop today. If you are into hard-hitting and harsh Trap music, this is a song I think you would love.
‘Caught Up,’ which features Class M., is a song with a totally different sound than the first three tracks; it has such a classic feeling to it. If you are into R&B and Hip Hop from the early 2000s, this is a song for you. This song has such a sultry and sensual sound. It is the kind of track that is perfect for playing late at night when you are with your significant other, as it will set the mood. Cardiac Da Pulse’s has a delivery that is a lot calmer than it was in the first three songs; his deep and raspy voice still provides a nice level of texture to the track. Class M. comes in with sweet and crisp singing vocals that contrast Cardiac Da Pulse’s vocals awesomely. ‘Caught Up’ is about about making love to the woman of your dreams. This track reminds me a lot of artists like Fabolous or Cassidy. ‘Family Ties,’ which features Ferro Haze, keeps the old-school tranquil Hip Hop sound that the last song had going. The melody for this track has a retro Funky R&B sound that reminds me a lot of the 70s and 80s. The melody is complimented by some backing vocals that have a Gospel feel. Similar to the preceding song, Cardiac Da Pulse’s harsher tone provides a good level of variance from the instrumental. I really love the verse from Ferro Haze, which comes in at the end of the track. He has a unique, higher-pitched tone and a unique flow which sounds so cool when paired with Cardiac Da Pulse’s vocal tone. On ‘ Caught Up,’ Cardiac Da Pulse and Ferro Haze are rapping about how your blood relatives are not always the most supportive and they do not always have your best interests in mind. ‘Lucid Dreams,’ which features RICHXSOUL, keeps the classic Hip Hop sound the last two songs had going. Instrumentally, this song is a bit more simple than the last two tracks. It is mainly driven by an easy-going drum beat and a slow, funky melody provided by an electric guitar. The guitar riff has such a funky feeling to it. Like many other songs on the record, Cardiac Da Pulse’s gritty, hoarse vocal tone contrasts the instrumental well. His tone gives the song so much emotion. RICHXSOUL sings the chorus on this track. His silky vocal style pairs with the instrumental well and provides a buffer for the harshness of Cardiac Da Pulse’s voice. On ‘Lucid Dreams,’ Cardiac Da Pulse is talking about dreaming of making it out of the good and not going back to your old ways.
After a few songs with an older Hip Hop sound, ‘Luv 4 Free’ brings things back to the present with its sound. In a way, This instrumental for this song in a way feels like a sped-up and more modern version of the last one, as it has a similar tone. Instead of being driven by a guitar, the melody on this one is driven by synths. I love how the backing vocals are altered and arranged, as they give the song a late-night futuristic feel. Cardiac Da Pulse’s delivery on this one is a bit more soft and reserved than usual. This dialed-back delivery goes so well with the instrumental. ‘Luv 4 Free’ is about spending quality time in the bedroom with your partner. ‘Luv 4 Free’ has such a sexy feeling to it; this is the perfect song to play in a club if you want the dance floor to get a bit freaky. ‘Stars in The Ceiling,’ which features James Tatum, brings back the old school theme that Cardiac Da Pulse loves(with a futuristic tint). This instrumental has an 70s Psychedelic Funk sound. It reminds me of artists like George Clinton, Bootsy Collins, and even Thundercat. The futuristic tint I mentioned comes from the way the song is mixed and it’s sound effects, which give the track a video game-like quality. In my opinion, this is probably the coolest instrumental on the record to this point, as it is very unique and stands out. On this track, Cardiac Da Pulse raps with his typical grainy and deep tone, and this paired with his even-keeled flow go with the instrumental well and give it so much texture. James Tatum’s sweet and higher-pitched vocals pair with Cardiac Da Pulse’s vocals nicely, giving the song an extra element that it needs. In ‘Stars in The Ceiling,’ Cardiac Da Pulse is rapping about how cool and fresh he and his partner are. He knows that many people are envious of them and that people look their way when they go out. Cardiac Da Pulse closes out the project on an energetic and fierce note with the song ‘High Note.’ This is a song with very modern and relevant production, as it has a powerful Trap sound that reminds me of some of the toughest Atlanta Trap artists. This is the kind of rough and dark Trap instrumental that i could see rappers like Young Nudy or 21 Savage spitting on. Cardiac Da Pulse’s grating and boisterous rapping style works perfectly on this instrumental; his tone, flow, and overall delivery equal the energy of the instrumental and add to the power of the song. ‘High Note’ has a super catchy hook that is a total earworm. As I write this, I can not stop humming “Going out on a high note. Going out on a high note…” to myself. On ‘High Note,’ Cardiac Da Pulse is rapping about staying on the grind and doing anything it takes to get to the top. It is apparent that Cardiac Da Pulse wanted to end this project with a bang, and he achieved that with this track.
Like I mentioned in the introduction, the Milwaukee music scene is thriving with a lot of good rising Hip Hop artists right now. Blue Roses is a very good project from one of the most interesting rappers in Milwaukee right now. On this project, Cardiac Da Pulse shows how diverse he can be with his sound. He explores multiple different kinds of Hip Hop, and shows that he has an appreciation for old-school music as well as proving that he can excel at modern sounding Trap music as well. Blue Roses proves that Cardiac Da Pulse is a force to be reckoned with and that he deserves more attention and notoriety. As long as the Milwaukee Hip Hop community has artists like Cardiac Da Pulse, it is in good hands.
EAST SIDE VIBES 