Ho99o9 — SKIN — Album Review
Hardcore | Punk | Hip-Hop | Electronic
Listen on Spotify | Listen on Apple Music
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again; Ho99o9 were undoubtedly one of the most exciting groups I had discovered in the 2010’s. The New Jersey hardcore hip-hop group absolutely wowed me with their intense yet unique and memorable aesthetic.
But even with the sheer amount of amazing projects that have come from the minds of Ho99o9, it’s almost funny to think that after founding their musical career around 10 years ago, that we are only just receiving the sophomore studio album from the group.
Nevertheless, a brief history of what I had heard from Ho99o9 up to this point; I think I first actually listened to the band and their current load of music either in late 2016 or very early 2017, despite knowing they existed a little earlier on. This was after someone recommended I listened to them at a local gig; to listen to that person was a wise choice indeed. It didn’t take long at all for me to turn into a swift fan of the group, especially thanks to hits like “Blood Waves”, “Bone Collector” and “The Dope Dealerz”.
The first of those three aforementioned tracks was a clear favourite of mine, thanks to its more punk-heavy focus giving it a unique twist. This would later be something that Ho99o9 would ultimately own, with the first step of that stylistic evolution being their debut studio album. United States Of Horror was a gigantic step forward for the group, and still one of my favourite albums of 2017.
Things remained pretty consistent after that stylistically. The bulk of projects between Ho99o9’s debut album and now came in the form of mixtapes, such as 2019’s Cyber Warfare, and 2020’s Blurr. And while my love for the group continued to grow, the time felt appropriate for the group to take the next step forward.
And then we arrive in the here and now, where we finally get to see the sophomore album from Ho99o9, titled SKIN. Teased by two tracks earlier this year, titled “BATTERY NOT INCLUDED” and “NUGE SNIGHT” respectively, it was shaping up to be an full-length record that offers fans a shed-load of that Ho99o9 punk-rap energy that they have come to adore.
However, SKIN ended up offering way more than I think any of us could really have expected. Not only the most stylistically versatile record in the Ho99o9 discography, this may even end up being the most versatile record of the entire year! We did get little inklings of stylistic twists and turns with the aforementioned Blurr mixtape, but that was nowhere near to the degree that SKIN offers. Following the two previously noted teaser tracks that start this album off, it was anyone’s guess as to what kind of tracks would come next.
This album absolutely excels at bringing a plethora of genres and moods together without making the overall experience too clunky. Everything seemed to be tied together by the overall aesthetic that fans have gotten familiar with, while musically, the game has completely changed.
Hardcore metal, punk, hip-hop, electronic; this album has it all. With that in mind, you could almost say that there’s something for everyone here, if not for the clearly explicit nature of Ho99o9 overall (an element of what ties this whole thing together). It would make more sense to say that it is still an album that is targeted at the cult fanbase that Ho99o9 has created, but also offers a more diverse musical selection to enjoy.
The nature of SKIN may have been a risky move, and could divide fans. But for a music-lover like myself, it is no problem in the slightest. And judging by the positive buzz this sophomore album has already received, I think the majority of fans are leaning on the positive side as well.
Favourite Tracks: BATTERY NOT INCLUDED | BITE MY FACE | …SPEAK OF THE DEVIL | SKINHEAD | DEVIL AT THE CROSSROADS
DTA Records | Elektra Records
