Kooley High shares new song "Where I'm Going", announces 'Heights' EP

Kooley High will release 'Heights'
on Oct. 9 and will celebrate its
release on Oct. 16 at Kings Barcade

While historically North Carolina has been best known for our traditional roots and more recently our swiftly changing indie-rock scene, you'd have to be living under a rock to argue that the hip-hop scene isn't getting just as much notoriety. For every Love Language and Hiss Golden Messenger now lies a J. Cole or King Mez. The hip-hop spectrum almost perfectly mirrors that of the rock-leaning scene, a few nationally recognized acts help to shift the dynamic of the state's scene while a few headstrong acts push ever forward and leave expectations aside.

It'd be easy for acts to fall in line with the cultural trends we've seen that prove to be successful, but the acts in our scene that are gathering the most traction are those that blaze their own paths. That's why it's always exciting to hear what's to come from Kooley High. Kooley is a hip-hop collective that grew from the N.C. State cyphers and blossomed into one of the state's most established names. Former member Rapsody is swiftly becoming a household name thanks to features on tracks with Chance The Rapper and Kendrick Lamar's To Pimp a Butterfly, but don't for a second think that the loss of a member is slowing Kooley down at all.

"Where I'm Going," the recently release single from their forthcoming EP, Heights, proves that Kooley's sights are set forward both as a career trajectory but also musically. "Where I'm Going" is a track that highlights all of the group's finest aspects, a smooth buttery production that blends boom-bap styles with heady, jazzy J-Dilla influence and lends way to Tab-One and Charlie Smarts' lyrical acrobatics.

The thematic points of the track highlight Kooley's confidence as well as their forward-thinking attitudes. Tab opens the track with an effortless verse filled with quick rhymes and clever similes, never stuck on one pattern for too long. Guest vocalist Add-2 adds some versatility to the vocal cadence found on the track, but the lyricism shines brightest with Tab and Charlie Smarts. Smarts' verse boasts intricately arranged internal rhyme schemes that prove to be difficult to unravel without repeated listens. Voices blend together for a memorable hook that excellent summarizes the song's theme and rides along with Sinopsis' dreamy yet rhythmic production. Kooley's vibes feel reminiscent of acts like A Tribe Called Quest, but don't rely on a nostalgic factor to get attention, rather they feel like a call-back to these early hip-hop pioneers and elegantly maneuver their way into a modern-day context. Heights is released on Oct. 9th  and the group will celebrate their EP release with a show at Kings Barcade on Oct. 16th. Check out the track below:

The Bottom String's Top 10 North Carolina Albums of 2011

It was a fantastic year for the Carolina music scene in 2011 and after taking a bit of time to let it all soak in I think I've fumbled the list around enough to have determined what I feel are the ten best albums to be released in North Carolina from 2011.  In a year that saw both of North Carolina's newest and brightest festivals garner massive national attention thanks to picking up some of the hottest and most talented artists in the national scene, we also saw the local scene continue to pump out fantastic releases.  Between Mount Moriah's long awaited full-length, a sophomore smash from Carolina rap favorites Kooley High, the return of Bombadil and much much more, we have had an incredible year of music in the tobacco state.  So without further ado, let's get down to the Top 10!

"David Thompson" by Kooley High

David Thompson by Kooley High was released on
Fat Beats on December 6, 2011

North Carolina hip-hop has flourished this year, with Carolina's own J. Cole finding his way to a #1 debut atop the Billboard charts it's been clear that the overwhelming amount of talent in this state is beginning to get the recognition it deserves.  J. Cole is just scraping the surface of this talent pool though, the state is filled with names like 9th Wonder, Phonte, The Beast, King Mez, and arguably one of the fastest rising in the state with Kooley High.  While Kooley has established a name for themselves with their debut full-length, Eastern Standard Time, they're flexing their skills on this new release, David Thompson.  While some of Kooley High has relocated to Brooklyn, it's very clear that their heart still remains in North Carolina and the hip-hop scene that they've flourished in.  Between the stellar production and effortless displays of clever lyricism, Kooley High has placed their feet firmly in the door of national recognition with David Thompson.  Kooley High is celebrating their album release at The Pour House in Raleigh on Saturday, December 10 with King Mez, Actual Proof, and Lazarus