Mr Streetz – Echos In My Mind
Mr Streetz – Echos In My Mind – Album Review
At first glance, I was like, don’t Canadian and UK spellings have more in common than not? Isn’t it supposed to be ‘echoes’ instead of Echos In My Mind? So then I looked it up online, to see what the deal was. Apparently “Echos is the name in Byzantine music theory for a mode within the eight-mode system, each of them ruling several melody types, and it is used in the melodic and rhythmic composition of Byzantine chant, differentiated according to the chant genre and according to the performance style” in the world according to Wikipedia. So maybe it’s no accident – maybe Mr Streetz is going to get his chant on throughout this album and the spelling of Echos is intentional? Maybe it’s mere coincidence? Maybe it’s a mistake – maybe it was simply overlooked? What do I know anyhow? I’m Canadian and spell most things like the USA does simply because it sets off my Microsoft Word spell checker if I don’t.
Anyhow. The “Ice Man” cometh, as they say…so I suppose it seems fitting that it’s the beginning track on Mr Streetz latest album. One of the most consistent & constant you’ll find in the scene right now – it was no surprise to me to find that he’s got five new singles that have come out after Echos In My Mind already – the only breaths he’s taken in the past three years since he broke out in 2022 are the ones he catches between bars. Other than those, he’s busy in the lab workin’ and getting his next track ready for ya. Trust me y’all…it’s rare to find an artist that’s put out as much music into the world as he has since his arrival. There’s always a risk of oversaturation in a situation like that, but it’s also key to strike while the iron’s hot too…Mr Streetz is clearly at an inspired point in his life, and so the music continually flows as a result. Dude’s damn good at what he does – you’ll see I’ve been a fan from the start in the previous reviews I’ve written on his music, but it’s easy enough for anyone out there listening to comprehend as well. You don’t need my stamp of approval to put this man on your playlist – he’ll earn his place there. I love the focus you hear in “Ice Man” right off the drop – “I know the imagery sounds deep” – and he’s right…it does. “Ice Man” not only details a hard journey to survival and proves he’s thriving now, but you’ll find all kinds of vivid verbal imagery that supports the main theme implied in the title. It’s clear he’s put tons of thought into his words, and that fucking matters when you’re a rapper y’all – take some notes from this man right here! Streetz sounds confident, large, in-charge, and ready for this moment.
He’s got the balance right, in my opinion. Obviously, Mr Streetz is gonna remain the star of the show, but the music he’s got rockin’ with him is stellar as well. You’ve got a track like “Ice Man” that sounds like it could have been created by the genius of Four Tet, and then he shifts into the massive vibes of “Maisonette” to follow to smartly create separation between the two tracks and let each make their own impact on ya as a result. Production-wise, “Maisonette” is a tougher one to examine…I feel like the slight distortion you’ll hear is intentional, but regardless of whether it is or it isn’t, the risk is always present – most ears wouldn’t know one way or the other, which leads the average everyday listener to assume something’s off instead of done on purpose, you feel me? In any event, it sounds just slightly over the redline and is far from blown out…I don’t think it’s anything so detrimental that it’d stop anyone from listening, especially when the performance from Streetz is as solid as it is on “Maisonette.” It does give him something to consider though…ultimately you wanna remove as many potential obstacles between the art and the listening ears as you can, and he’s actively put one in here instead. It’s up to him to decide if he wants to make things tougher for himself or not – that’s well above my pay grade…I just tell ya what I hear. All-in-all though, “Maisonette” is a strong track for Streetz – I’m into it.
I’ll put it to ya this way…people are gonna hear things the way they hear’em anyway, and there’s not much anyone can do about that anyway when it comes right down to it. I know that the way a track like “Free My Brothers” opens up with its glitch-infused beginning is going to throw off a certain percentage of listeners out there – but for lack of a better way to put it, fuck’em! At some point in time you’ve also gotta take some chances with your art & what you create – and just like the legendary Rick Rubin says (and hell yeah, I’m about to paraphrase) – if everyone loves your shit, you probably didn’t take anything far enough. “Free My Brothers” is a great example of a track that not everyone is going to be happy with, but why that’s also a good thing. Whether it’s the sound itself, or the concepts driving it – Streetz is going in a more divisive direction with “Free My Brothers” for sure – but he’s standing for something y’all…and in my world, that matters. “I’ve had enough of the corruption,” he says – and I’d say a fuck lot of us feel the same way, right? Mr Streetz takes on the system here…and for what it’s worth, from my own personal perspective, I think he makes a lot of excellent points. Obviously, if you’re on the other side of the law or you’re a part of big brother’s oppressive governments in any part of the world, or the rich elite that seem to never been touched by the rules – you’d hate “Free My Brothers” because Streetz has just blown up your whole game with this track. The system is stacked against us in just about every corner of the map – “Free My Brothers” exposes the flaws in the UK, and it’s as heartbreaking as it is brilliant when it comes right down to it, because Mr Streetz has laid it out factually syllable after syllable. In my opinion, his fearlessness on this track has led him directly to one of his most significant victories – we need more people fully willing to speak truth to power like Streetz is doing with “Free My Brothers.”
That’s his brand though…if you had to sum up Mr Streetz succinctly, you’d say that he’s willing to say what others can’t, or won’t. Lyrically, the man essentially never misses…I love what the guy raps about and I have from the first moment I heard his music. While I’d love to say that words rule the day when it comes to this particular craft, reality has proven time and again that they’re just a mere piece of the puzzle. There are still other factors that need to go right, and other ingredients that are crucial to any song’s success. “Dark Side Of The Moon” is an excellent example of Mr Streetz’s inherent gift for creating compelling lyrics that are boldly insightful and powerfully relatable, but found on the inside of a track that probably isn’t going to be the one most listeners latch onto. I like that he’s trying a different approach here, but I don’t know if I can confidently say that it’s going to land with everyone listening. I think the hooks will likely go on to be more memorable than you might assume they would be on those first couple spins through the record, but at the same time I still think that sound-wise, you’ll find the songs surrounding “Dark Side Of The Moon” are more likely to be the ones bringing you back to Echos In My Mind. I still enjoy it, and I still think the dude deserves to be listened to in any scenario because he’s always got something REAL to say to ya…but yeah…”Dark Side Of The Moon” seemed to be missing a bit of the spark we typically associate with Streetz, almost like it’s too laidback or cautious for its own good.
“No Returns” ended up feeling more along the lines of what I feel like Streetz was going for on the track before. Different themes to an extent, even though everything he writes is fairly autobiographical and real as far as I know…but I’m talking more about the approach with the singing/rapping combination. On “No Returns” he’s got someone else supplying the hook, and it’s really effective. I don’t think that Mr Streetz singing is necessarily what held “Dark Side Of The Moon” back a little bit – I actually think he did a decent job…he could have put his back into it a little bit more I suppose, but I think it came down more to the singing part being more complex, whereas what you hear on “No Returns” is shorter and feels like it’s more balanced in that regard. What I love about “No Returns” though, can’t be beat – it’s right there in the first verse where Mr Streetz is both philosophical and inspirational in talking about how crucial it is to appreciate the journey you’re in while you’re in the moment…and that it really can’t just be about the end results, because there’s so much more to life and the things we do than that. I couldn’t agree more with the man…”No Returns” sounds great, and the wisdom you love to hear in his rhymes is fully present and accounted for in a way that’ll reach your soul and resonate with ya for sure.
“Walk In My Shoes” is a solid and dependable track…steady as she goes, captain. I think one of the things that Streetz does really well, is lead by example. To an extent, it’s certainly arguable that the main topic he writes about – perhaps the only subject of his songs – is him…but I think you can actually look at it from a different perspective. While there’s no doubt that he bases his music on his own experiences, like I said – I think he’s truly trying to show YOU that with hard work, determination, and commitment, no matter what your circumstances are or how things are stacked against you, you can go on to beat the odds. It’s empowering stuff for us all, written from his own point of view – make sense? If you’re listening to the stories he’s spitting, I’m sure they’re wildly different than your own in many ways – but at the core of songs like “Walk In My Shoes,” there’s an inspiring message that actually encourages and DARES you to light a similar fire under your own ass and get things moving in your own life. So before you go and start to dismiss Streetz as another narcissistic rapper with a myopic view of the world, really listen to what he’s trying to communicate, and understand he’s basically doing a lot of what he does not only for himself, but for the greater good as a whole. Hooks are strong, the energy is good, quality lyricism…”Walk In My Shoes” tells a great story, but it’s what you can read between the lines that makes the biggest impact, and reveals the most about the true mission of the man on the mic.
He’s “gonna be the subject of haters” – that’s just how the game goes, ain’t it? On “King’s Song” you’ll hear Mr Streetz weave a metaphorical tale that parallels mythology with the path he’s personally on. As far as the haters go though…fuck’em! If you don’t have’em, then you’re probably not pushing hard enough in what you’re creating. That’s me paraphrasing the legendary Rick Rubin again, like I did the other day…but it’s true y’all. Not everyone is gonna like what you create or even the fact that you’re creating at all…and more often than not, it’s usually someone out there that ain’t doing fuck all that has the problem. “I fought to be me” is one of my favorite lines from Mr Streetz to-date…that’s grade-A insightful y’all…and once again, it’s remarkably relatable for many of us out there listening. If you’re a survivor…if you’ve been through the battles and wars…if you’ve carved out your own path to happiness – you’re the target audience for the music of Mr Streetz, and rest assured, he’s proud to have you ridin’ with him. “King’s Song” is a very cleverly designed song, really well balanced in terms of its approach & the theme at its core, and you betcha – I think most listeners will find this track to be super inspiring overall. In another life, Streetz could be a Tony Robbins if he wanted to be…but like, a respectable version of that guy…a motivational speaker that’s not just trying to bank millions under false pretenses.
“Tell Me About It” reminds us we’re “all in the same boat,” and that the majority of us face the same issues that stem directly from the same sources. You’ll find Streetz tacking everything from the national debt to inflation, to the price of groceries and how we all struggle with the day to day in our own way. He’s a populist when it comes right down to it, and ultimately I think that’s a large part of his appeal. He’s got his eye on the prize like all of us should – but at the same time, he always remembers where he came from. “Tell Me About It” is like one of those magazines you read where it shows ‘the stars are just like us’ – it’s a reminder that no matter how fantastical someone like Mr Streetz’s life may seem, he’s definitely put his time in the trenches with the rest of us as well. He might be well on his way to climbing the mountain, but he’s maintained a grounded perspective. More importantly, it’s tracks like “Tell Me About It” that have the man doing the math in real-time, calling out those responsible for the endless inequality we’re stuck in, and highlighting the fact that we’re actually united in our struggles. I think tracks like this are genuinely important for people to hear…it’s a reminder that we’re not alone and that a lot of what we feel pressure-wise, is universal. Heck – I’d vote for Mr Streetz…dude’s got a good head on his shoulders for sure…sadly, it’s the smartest among us that would never go into politics.
He’s undeniably articulate, and that’s undoubtedly one of his main strengths – you can always hear what Streetz is saying crystal clearly, and you know exactly where he stands on any issue he’s choosing to speak on. That being said, what separates the best of the best from the really damn good, usually comes from a diverse arsenal of skills that can be pulled from. While I’m definitely a fan of what Streetz creates, I would definitely listen to an argument that he can appear to be a bit one-note at times – he’s still got plenty of room to show us more than lyricism. For instance, many out there say Eminem will always be the GOAT for the simple reason that he’s got something sick like, eight to twelve different flows – and right now, I don’t know that we’ve heard more than one or two at maximum from Streetz. In many ways, you don’t want to deviate too much from what you know works – and I get that…but if that’s the case, you wanna go with shorter records instead of longer, so that people don’t get too restless or notice too many similarities, you feel me? It’s not just a matter of using different music or a different beat – it’s more than about shifting speeds…it’s about trying new things, and being willing to experiment…and that’s where Mr Streetz has still got plenty of opportunity to evolve in his craft. On the flipside of the coin, the level of identity in his sound, music, and whole vibe, is practically unparalleled – you’ll always know when you’re listening to him based on the similarities you’ll find from track to track. Keep in mind, we critics always end up listening (those of us that actually DO listen, that is) to a lot of music in a compressed amount of time…so we notice different things because we listen differently than a normal listener would. I found that it was usually around “Rise” that I felt myself getting a little bit restless with Echos In My Mind – I still like what I hear, I still enjoy it, but there is an element that has it feeling like it’s also more of what we’ve already experienced so far too. This is why I say that shorter records is the way to go for an artist like Mr Streetz that has such distinct identity and a similar approach between tracks. I’m always going to tune in, because he’s always got something significant to say – and that remains to be just as true of “Rise” as any of his songs…but sure, he could still find new ways to expand his skillset. Ultimately, it matters in the long run…people will tune out if they feel like something is too similar…and when you drop lyrics at the level Streetz does, you want every word to be heard.
It’s important to remember that the guy has only been releasing music professionally for the past three years – it’s completely natural that any artist is going to show space for their own evolution & improvement – and as I always remind ya, that’s a damn good thing…because if you didn’t have that room to grow further, what would be the point in doing anything else? Streetz always shows a continual hunger for the mic, just like he does on “Man On Smoke” – and it’s that authentic interest he displays in all that he creates that will always lead him to victory in the end. “It’s not about where you start my friend, it’s about the place you land,” as he’ll tell ya himself. I love the boldness of the hook in the title of “Man On Smoke” – you feel the confidence of Mr Streetz in full effect on this track. He swings large with his words on this song, and hits a big homerun…you could see a cut like this becoming part of your personal soundtrack as you “prove the haters wrong” & stomp your way to the top spot at the podium.
“There’s no point in existing and not sharing what I’ve learned” – I love that. 100% heard homie. We clearly do different things in life, but we’re completely united in how important it is to pass on the experience we have in an effort to help others find the greatness within them, triumph, and flourish. “Time Traveller” is another great example of the depth of his lyricism and the thought that he puts into his words. I appreciate the organic way it all comes through…you know that Streetz is genuine in the things he says on every track he creates, and I don’t feel like anyone would dispute that. Nothing ever feels forced when it comes to the sentiment or implications of what he’s communication – he’s as real as they get and I think that’ll always be the main asset of the music he’s making in its appeal to listeners. I think it’s still a bit tougher to argue that “Time Traveller” is doing something we haven’t already heard from Streetz on this particular album or his catalog in general, but hey…more of a good thing is never a bad thing, right? Like I was alluding to earlier, it’s hard to argue against a formula that works, and there’s very little incentive to change too much in that regard. It’s all about how much Streetz wants to challenge himself as an artist on a personal level…that’s what’s going to be what propels him to the next level beyond the heights he’s already achieved in such little time. As much as I admire what I hear in his music and the commitment he brings to it, I still believe he’s got much more to show us in the future. An artist like Streetz will go through multiple phases of evolution over the course of his career, but each one will show you another aspect of the quality & dedication that he consistently brings to his material.
He’s like your fortune cookie come to life in human form…proverbs put into action. As “The Wind Blows” begins, you can instantly feel the weight in the melody, and if you’re a fan of Mr Streetz, you know this is the kind of sonic environment that he thrives best within. Do I think this track might have benefitted from having the hooks at the end on display more than the one time we hear’em in this track? Sure! I don’t think it’s a question of might have if I’m being honest with ya – I’m completely certain that Mr Streetz should have had that pop up a couple times in this last track, but I’ll fully admit that he’s definitely given us all a reason to return to the record, because the ending is so well worth repeating! Obviously he’s provided multiple reasons throughout the album as well, but a lot of the time when it comes to the context of a record, it’s where things are left off that has us all tuning in for another spin…and in that respect, “The Wind Blows” is pretty much guaranteed to get you enticed for another round. In my opinion, if he was to find a way to get that hook in this track at least a couple times, I think he’s hands down got one of the most potent cuts in his catalog…even with it in there just the one time, it’s still right up there with the best. You gotta love it though, right from the drop – I love the way the sway of this track works so well with Mr Streetz words…dig the cadence and delivery of his lyricism…it’s just a perfect fit for the kind of artist & vibe he’s been crafting…”The Wind Blows” is a real summation of what he’s been going for in a variety of ways. From the smart lyricism, to the relatable topics & vivid imagery, to the endearing melody at the core of it all – and the incredibly accessible hooks of the finale…”The Wind Blows” is further proof that his best years are still ahead of him, but that he’s put himself on a path to the success he deserves & is willing to continually earn every step of the way.
Find out more about Mr Streetz at Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/MrStreetzOfficial
HEY YOU! YES YOU! You – the person reading this RIGHT NOW! Instead of emailing us to find out how you could be the next up on our pages at sleepingbagstudios and waiting days for our response – just click here will ya!?!
