Establishing the mood with a cerebral, bass-driven soundscape with pitched ad-lib vocalizations, southpaw, Era 51 and Blvck Svm open Money? with dimensionality and subversion before sharing the situational and metaphorical prose.
The lyrics resonate like a mantra, detailed with an astral synth. We connect with the heavy bass presence, and appreciate Era 51‘s dynamic and self-realized flow. The track feels conscious and is laced with poetic wisdom throughout.
The line, “If money the root of all evil then happiness really must be so deceiving…” really sums up the track, it is poignant, thought-provoking and eye-opening at its core. Speaking on the intention of the release, southpaw confesses, “Money? was born out of a specific sonic goal: to create a track that feels heavy yet effortless. It represents a turning point in the creative synergy between Era 51 and myself, serving as the moment where our collaborative sound truly solidified. We wanted to move away from high-energy tropes and instead lean into a calculated chill aesthetic – music that is dense with detail but maintains a mellow, late-night atmosphere.”
southpaw continues with philosophical depth, “The track centers on the philosophy of elevated underground hip-hop. By bringing Blvck Svm into the fold for the hook, we were able to anchor the song’s more abstract, avant-garde elements with a rhythmic, lyrical core.”
There is no doubt that the track would be perfect for a multitude of sync placements, notably an episode of Euphoria on HBO, tapping into the themes that are brought up in the lyrics, or perhaps Industry or Billions.
For some background, southpaw is the producer behind the record, curating the collaboration and crafting a heavy yet chill blend of avant-garde hip-hop and lo-fi textures; Era 51 is an underground artist known for her versatile flow and dark, mellow style, delivering the track’s intricate verses; and Blvck Svm is a prominent collaborator who provides the infectious hook with his signature lyrical style and memorable references.
Needless to say, we are in awe, and have added Money? to our New Music Spotlight playlist, and our TIMELESS and TRIPPY playlists, whilst we continue to stream the wider discography of southpaw, including the entirety of his album, Don’t Run From the Rain.