Doc STRANGE

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Doc STRANGE
Hip Hop, Preservation, Black Excellence & Sci-Fi
Rebecca Cullen May 4, 2018
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Following the release of his unforgettable album AAA, we caught an in-depth interview with artist and rapper Doc STRANGE to find out more about what drives him to create in this way and what his hopes are for the future. Here’s how it went.
* * *
Hey, huge congrats on the album release – I’m a fan, great collection. For those who are new to it all, who is Doc STRANGE; what are you all about?
I would say I am a preservationist first. I am about preserving what I feel Hip Hop is. I don’t complain about the scene, I just contribute my definition of purity. Through my videos, music to album artwork, I aim to represent in the finest fashion. I embody all I appreciate. Funk. Soul. Hip Hop. Comic Books. Science Fiction. Blaxploitation. 70’s Grindhouse. James Bond movies. Video games. I squeeze all that into my act.
How long was this project in the making, and were the tracks and ideas pre-planned or did it evolve as it went along?
This project was conceived by my close friend and mentor Lee Martin, about 3 years ago. We both are huge fans of the show Ancient Aliens. He was like, “You should do a record with Ancient Aliens as the theme. The source material for the songs should come from the show.” I was excited about it from the jump.
When I exposed the concept to the circle of artists I work with here in Dallas, it started to evolve into something real. Kris BOSS immediately took to the theme and Blade Runner was the first effort that shows our cohesion. Tahiti and Diva Sol added flavour and hints of the sessions from Sindrome. We recorded these songs before Sindrome but released Sindrome first.
All and all, everyone has an opinion about aliens and the supernatural. What you hear on AAA is my clique of artists getting loose and live on the topic. It pushed me to get super creative and make something special for the listener.
Who or what inspires you to make this kind of music?
I am a fan and purveyor of dope music first. I merely make what I desire-something fresh, raw, Black and unique. I know there are incredible contributions to the Hip Hop culture from ALL cultures, but Black expression is what I deal in and my first love in all forms of entertainment.
Black excellence inspires me. I pursue to represent that. The image and idea of the Black rapper is so basic and limited. A few brothers get through and shine. But the status quo is still very ignorant and base. It’s like, being Black and intelligent in mainstream entertainment is alternative. So there I am.

How did you get started when making these tracks – do you make your own beats, and do you decide on a concept before you start performing or writing?
I make beats and write on the regular. That is therapeutic for me. That is about mental health.
So beats are just lying around. Then I got my partners like Tahiti, Mike Turner, B-Down, whoever. They are dropping beats my way as well. I just curate. Pick what sounds right for what I write. I play movies, play video games, read novels, watch the news, talk to humans, then create.
What is it about sci-fi that appeals to you?
I grew up with it. My dad is a huge sci fi enthusiast. My whole life there were comic books and science fiction novels all over the house. I took to it strong. Isaac Asimov and Ray Bradbury are just as influential on me as Rakim, Ghostface and E-40.
Which is your personal favourite track from the album, if you had to choose just one?
I would say Hell Above. It was the last song we made. It sums up my mindset on the project. It was the first song I did with this producer named Menace. So as a big fan of his production style, it was a great experience making such an ill song to top the project off.
What would you say is the single best bar you wrote for this album?
I sip Maker’s Mark in the dark/ no ice/ I’m chillin People seem to dig that line. I say so many deep and enthralling lines, but sometimes clever and simple is more effective. (laughs). Seriously though, I entertain myself first and write the most unique stuff possible. But what I think doesn’t matter next to the ear of the listener. Other people determine what your best bars are. You tell me.
Is live performance an important part of what you do, and what can people expect from a live show?
The live show is crucial. Again, I am a fan of all things fresh and compelling. I see a lot of different genres pushing the envelope. Emphasis on lighting, digital projection effects, wardrobe, and pure charisma. People have been overwhelmed with content the past two decades. The attention span is inevitably shortened to just survive the onslaught on your senses. At the same time, we have now developed a larger appetite for content, because of steaming platforms. And everything is so good! We as artists are competing against movies, TV series, video games, porn, sports, everything. I try to give the crowd a lot. Lights, smoke, projection screen, a well-rehearsed show with jamming ass music…you have to create a “moment”.
What’s been one of the greatest or most memorable moments of your career in music so far?
When I released my first record Rhyme Like This. It’s not even on the internet. It was total DIY distribution. Physicals in all my local stores, my best friend producing it, radio, shows, merch, the whole campaign. Raw as hell. Yeah, 2001 I was a grown ass kid making music how I wanted and selling it relatively well. It was like graduation.

What are your thoughts on the mainstream hip hop world right now?
It has never been better. It is all about perspective, you know? I see it as there is more of everything. More choices, more information, more types of Hip Hop to choose from. I utterly ignore all that I don’t like and drown myself in all the good stuff. There war a few guilty pleasures I have in mainstream Hip Hop. However, I am a fierce underground head, so a lot of mainstream music just isn’t on the radar.
If you could collaborate with any artist or band, past or present, who would it be – and why?
Funkadelic. I would love to build a time machine in my backyard out of random household pieces and parts from the garage. Then I would wear all this futuristic type clothing to look even more shocking than how modern fashion would look in 1972. Fly the spacecraft to their studio, disembark the ship with 2 bodybuilder female bodyguards and rap my head off for hours and make incredible music.
What’s next for you – what are your plans for the coming years?
I want to make a successful arthouse film. I want to gain enough success in the eyes of the public that my experience can teach future artists how to get busy. Because nobody listens to nobodies. I didn’t make the rules on that one. (laughs). As far as music, I have a project with Menace coming out this summer, two more EP’s with my man Tahiti, instrumental albums on Bandcamp, more music with the band The Last Afronauts, a LOT more visuals, and some big surprises. I am in factory mode.
Is there anything else you’d like to say?
To all my fellow indie artists, I say this – It will get better. Fall in love with the journey and devote yourself to a plan. Surround yourself with good people with good energy. Ignore all that does not support your vibe and intent. And I promise, you will maintain a better place in life.
To all the fans of music and art culture – this is the best time to be alive and consume. If you dig something, tell everybody. If you hate something, tell everybody! Without the listener, there is no music. Find what you like and talk it up. We need it.
* * *
Download AAA via Bandcamp or search for it on all major download & streaming services. Find & follow Doc STRANGE on Facebook. Visit his Website for more information.

Tags: Hip-HopDoc STRANGEArlington, Texas, USA

Rebecca Cullen
Musician & writer with an MA in Songwriting.

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Check out I2Gs exclusive interview with Doc Strange.
I2G:
Alright, we’re here with Doc Strange. How’s it going man?
DS:
Doing real good, doing real good, Demarcus. How you doing?
I2G:
Good, good. Let’s get right into it. You just recently dropped your new video for your single entitled “Special”. Tell me a little bit about the single and how it came together for you.
DS:
Well, it came together like I pieced up with a good friend of mine Tahiti, he was part of a group called PPT out here in Dallas. They had a nice notoriety for a while. Then they did the music for the Dallas Mavericks actually. They’d come out to all their games. And they had a good following on the hip hop scene out here. So I end up with him via Todd because we were all recording at the same studio that Ty runs. Ty Macklin is the producer for India Arie, Shalimar and Erykah Badu.
So we all kind of got together, we all had similar interests, not just for hip hop but in things involving black culture, things involving film, things involving science fiction, what have you, comic books. And so, the more music I recorded with them, we start talking and talking and Tahiti just emails me one day and says, “Hey, you know what, we need to do this deal with Ty’s label. They didn’t have a lot of activity going on over there. And so he was like, let’s do a project, a series of projects actually. EPs, and they all have a theme or a story. And the first one was like UFOs and alien abduction and that kind of stuff.
So that’s how the whole emphasis of it came about, to build to the pinnacle “Special”. “Special” was like anything, like a single should embody the tone and everything good about the project so people can get an idea of what you’re talking about and one nice three minute, four minute BAM!
So that’s what “Special” is, I wanted to get all the elements that I was using to make Sindrome, which was live vocalists, live bassists, guitarists. And me and Tahiti doing the beat, and Todd engineering and mixing it, it had it all like the mother ship all together. And going all in on the song. And that’s what “Special” is, “Special” is tells the back up of the story as far as a brother from out here in the hood, out here in Texas being abducted by aliens and being transformed. It held a metaphor for a lot of things in life, like going from one state of being to the next.
So, long but short. That’s what it is with “Special”.
I2G:
Okay, so now off of the EP “Sindrome” do you have any more additional singles set to drop from the project?
DS:
Yes sir, we are going to do a video for the single “What Is You”, which is another song on there. And the third we’re going to drop is “Wanted Dead or Alive”. We’re also planning on doing a remix of “Wanted Dead or Alive”. That’s going to be on the horizon.
I2G:
Now as far as any additional projects, are you working on any other projects after the EP is out?
DS:
Well I kind of got this secret thing I’ve got that is in tandem is the companion is, truth is I’m doing that with my partner Kris BOSS out here. He’s a nice part of the Corleone family. He’s done songs for Young Bleed, and people over in that camp. I don’t know if you remember Young Bleed from the back in the day.
I2G:
Oh yeah.
DS:
He’s from that crew. He’s one of those cats that’s like, they ride that transit of being very street and being very hip hop and lyrical, you know how rappers used to be, to a degree. And so we’ve got some plans up in the air. Also, the single from that project, I have a song with Guilty Simpson with that project that I’m going to put out there as well, going into the summer. So there’s going to be a lot of stuff, man, but what I’m trying to do is explore different ways of presenting music instead of doing the same formulas. I want to expand on things I’m into, beyond just hip hop. Make hip hop nothing about hip hop. Make hip hop about themes. Like if you go to a movie, a movie has to be about something, you know what I’m saying? Science fiction, mystery, it’s something. So I think that’s what we need to get back to as writers and making forward thinking music. You’re not making just standard commercial music for the radio, which is about formula because it’s about ratings and about advertising, et cetera, et cetera.
If you’re making stuff with genuine people who are into things that are interesting and special. You gotta be about something. That’s expanded into making a series out of five EPs. “Sindrome” is the first, and everything is going to have a theme. I’m talking about different things, I’m talking about Snatcher horror, suspense, like straight up doing like cinematic thinking. There’s going to be some exciting stuff coming up.
I2G:
What’s your website information for people looking to check out your music and see what you got going on?
DS:
If you want to see everything, everything come together at www.docstrange.net. You go there, the schedule, tells you about Sindrome, we have all my videos I’ve made, interviews, appearances. I’ve been on the freestyle show that come out of Dallas. They have a public access that’s on there, I’ve got all my Twitter links on there, you can access all my stuff from that one place.
I2G:
Alright, well that’s all the questions I have for you. I appreciate you getting down for an interview. Is there any last …
DS:
I’m glad … It took a while to touch base with you, I understand that I appreciate your site reaching out, doing something the feature of what we’re doing with “Special”. That’s what we’re trying to do is something entertaining, something that’s different. I’ve worked with diverse people, I’ve worked with the different people within the hip hop realms out here and you could be underground, you could be raw, backpack quote on quote, but still be entertaining and candid and be polished. It would be something that has a broad appeal. So that’s what we’re trying to do with it. That’s why you want to go to www.docstrange.net to check out what we’ve got going on over there. We got lots of real live things going on in Dallas. So that’s what it is. - Illuminati 2g

Doc Strange’s Sindrome

A decade ago, Pikahsso, Picnic, and Tahiti were on top of the North Texas hip-hop heap. After PPT dissolved, Tahiti and Pikahsso continued under the name Awkquarius and became part of a YouTube series called Trap House, which also included rapper Doc Strange (Donny Sanders Jr.). Last year, according to the locally based music blog Stash Dauber and and e-mail exchange with Fort Worth Weekly, producer XL7, a.k.a. Ty Macklin from Alpha Omega Recording Studios on Lancaster, released a single, “Don’t Get It Twisted,” which featured Tahiti and Doc Strange. Now Doc Strange is preparing to release his debut EP on May 31. The eight-song recording is a sexy science-fiction thriller produced by Tahiti and released on Macklin’s Sanction Records.

Weighing in at 27 minutes, Sindrome is conceptual, ridiculous, creepy, and fun. The recording is a theatrical production that features flashy guitar solos and synthetic symphonies from Fort Worth musician Taylor Pace. The speed and intensity of this music is a bit unnerving at first. But the narrative of this hip-hop opera is held together by Doc Strange’s carefully crafted rhymes.

Opening track “First Kind” starts off leaning heavily on a layered, synth-heavy sound, with Doc Strange introducing himself by slowly rapping with a reverb effect on his voice. The album’s standout track, “What is You?” has a similar sound, with interesting lyrics about a rapper struggling to identify himself in a country obsessed with ethnicity and social status.

“As time goes by / It feels harder to try / To truly define / How I feel inside,” Doc Strange raps idiosyncratically.

On “Villain,” the rapper’s transformation into a supernatural being has started after an encounter with aliens. The production becomes unhinged, with atmospheric keyboards draped over intricate and heavy drumbeats. Doc Strange’s rapping becomes much more dynamic. His abduction experience, as he explains, turned him into a guy who “leaves horror films giggling.”

In “Special,” he raps about feeling unique after being touched by space creatures. In addition to bizarre keyboard sounds that seem to be dissolving, “Special” also features the hint of a choir and creepy, affected backing vocals from Shaniqua Williams.

“Making Love” is all about doing the nasty in outer space. “You know it just occurred to me,” Doc Strange raps. “Sexuality is energy.”

Guided by a keyboard that sounds like an Atari 2600 trying to simulate a trumpet, the song, crammed with suggestive wordplay, is one of the most playful tracks on this EP.

But after our protagonist is abducted by aliens — which is apparently a wonderful, sexy thing — the story ends in tragedy. Our anti-hero ends up in the hands of an evil government in the title track and closer, “Sindrome.” Another character shows up asking, “Do we have the subject restrained properly?” The saga ends with the EP’s hero ball-gagged and being wheeled around like Hannibal Lecter. Nice. –– Jeremy Hallock

This story has been updated to include attribution to Stash Dauber.



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2 Comments

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PiKaHsSo

May 9, 2016 at 11:38 am



Nice write up yall did on the Sindrome Cd big ups to DOC Strange, Tahiti & Ty Macklin for contributing creativity to the hiphop culture… PiKy


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Doc STRANGE

June 3, 2016 at 9:11 am



Thank you Pik. That’s all we were trying to do..make a strong contribution to the Hip Hop landscape. Brothers like yourself are needed out here and I look forward to more of that Verbadelyck sound!


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Browsing: / Home / 2016 / May / 09 / the9elements Presents: “The Whole 9” w/ Doc Strange



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the9elements Presents: “The Whole 9” w/ Doc Strange

By I.G.O.D. on May 9, 2016 in Interviews



THRONE

The Whole 9 takes a trip down to the Lone Star State, chopping it up with Doc Strange, outta Arlington. He recently dropped a new single Special, produced by Ty Macklin, known for his work with Erykah Badu. He’s also worked with Sadat X. He’s working on a new EP titled Sindrome. In this interview, he explains where his name came from, why he wanted to rap, firs Hip Hop song he ever heard, his single Special and predictions for this year. For more on Doc, hit him up on his website, Twitter and Instagram. Check out the interview below.

the9elements: How did you get your stage name?

Doc Strange: My dad’s nickname is Doc. That’s what his friend’s would call him because he was the smart guy. He was into different things. That’s where I got my taste in film and comic books. Magazines like Omni and Heavy Metal were in the crib. He has a dope taste in music too. All that I take after, “STRANGE” is what the people gave me. I grew up in a small town in Texas, so if you were black and read books, you were strange. If you watched Twilight Zone and anime instead of playing football, you were strange. That’s me. 100%.

T9E: What made you decide to become a rapper?

DS: Coming up watching Rap City and Yo! MTV Raps 4 hours daily. That right there, it permeated my brain and soul. I was real young and impressionable when that stuff was on TV. Rappers were like super heroes, back then anyway. Rakim’s Paid in Full video was the spark that ignited the flame, the desire to really get busy. I saw that and vowed to stay raw and lyrically titillating. I would take clippings out of The Source and Rap Pages magazines. I would make collages of the coldest rappers out during the time, Ice Cube, Slick Rick. Rakim, all of them. I would battle the pictures. All over my walls in the bedroom. Then, when I felt confident, I would bust rhymes on the school bus. That was the beginning.

T9E: What’s the first rap song you ever heard? Describe the moment.

DS: It was Busy Bee’s Groove on Sugar Hill Records. My uncle had it. He was bumpin’ that, plus Mantronix, Rick James and KraftWerk. I was damn near a toddler, but the sound affected…practically infected my mind. I never heard anything so..interesting. We were in Colorado Springs at my grand pops house. He had those Crush Orange popsicles. The ones with the cream flavor in the middle.I was eating that while the music played. He had a gold Buddha statue in the den. The music bumped. I stared at the statue. Ate 4 popsicles. I was mesmerized.

T9E: How did Special come together?

DS: Special is like the origin movie. It explains, in a metaphorical way, my sensibility. I wanted to make a song that summed up the concept of the whole record, Sindrome. I wanted all cylinders on blast. I had Taylor Pace on guitar, a live bass, my homegirl Diva Sol on the hook and Tahiti on the drum programming/synths. I summoned the team to show out. It came together out of the need for the power anthem. Bars on blast. Every artist must execute something that undeniably ties their style together. That’s what this is.

T9E: What are your predictions for 2016?

DS: Streaming technology and the internet as a whole will keep growing. I might have to drop a movie, web series, and a record all on one day. Just to match the appetite of a binge culture. People want more if they like you and will ignore you if you slack off. So for 2016 I predict much more of “it”. Whatever your favorite “it” is. More video games. More series. More porn. More and more. I intend to keep up and entertain the people.










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"What is particularly intriguing about Strange's first CD Rhyme Like This and his new tunes is his appeal to listeners outside of the hip-hop community."

"I listen to every genre of music out there whether it be the performance style of David Bowie and James Brown or sonic innovators Pink Floyd.
-Strange - Richard Carter

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Doc STRANGE
AAA
Rebecca Cullen Mar 3, 2018
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There’s something extremely original and unique about this album from rapper and songwriter Doc STRANGE. The music and the stories, the flow, all offer up something partly retro and seemingly free from influence or concern. It’s a loud and vibrant project, colorful and chaotic, creative and powerful, and really – the more you listen to the tracks, the more the art of it all starts to connect and sink in. Doc STRANGE does what he does because it’s real, that’s who he is as an artist – it’s authentic, believable, and increasingly enjoyable.
The opening and title track sets a slightly different ambiance to Invasion!, which follows it. The latter has a more rhythmic and classic feel, the opener gives off something distinctly original and unusual – laying the sense of personality out from the offset. Invasion! is a huge track with a touch of depth and captivating story telling. Kris BOSS accompanies Doc STRANGE on this song, as well as on Blade Runner, Outer Space, ROSWELL, and Like Michael – he’s a fellow North Texas lyricist with a street savvy style and delivery that perfectly contrasts and compliments Doc STRANGE’s approach.

Moving on through the album, Man & Machine toys around with industrial creativity, representing the concept in just about every way. This feels like a modern hip hop moment soaked in a little something from the nineties. Blade Runner follows and furthers this thread of sci-fi and entertainment. You start to get a stronger feel for the influences and character behind the music. This one holds tight to your attention as well as offering up another retro yet simple, satisfying beat and backdrop.
Doc STRANGE tells stories, and he puts a hell of a lot of passion and drama and power into his performances of them. Certain instances appear in contrast with this though, sovietfunklaboratory is essentially just over a minute of experimental funk-driven instrumentation that offers a joyful break from the lyricism. Sexxx with an Alien comes next and is as bizarre as it sounds, though it can’t be explained well with words alone. This mellow, strangely calming piece of music and performance is something to be witnessed for yourself.
Outer Space cranks the energy up – the music is manic and mighty, the vocal pace intense and faultless. The track hits hard and reminds you of the presence and power of the rapper behind it all. Another Dimension breaks things down again for a more mellow exploration of thoughts and stories. As an artist, Doc STRANGE presents various moments of eclecticism that suggest his creative reach and abilities are pretty unlimited. The arrangement of this album works well as everything heavy comes before something fairly mellow, and vice-versa. Contrast is mighty, and it’s well integrated here.
ROSWELL touches on a topic that many will recognise. Doc STRANGE’s fusion of musical prowess and a notable interest in strange happenings is refreshing to witness. This track has a great hook and the artist’s performance is on point, never failing to deliver with weight and intent. It’s endlessly theatrical and entertaining and interesting, it provokes thought while making you feel unexpectedly happy – and quite inspired to go ahead and do whatever it is that you’ve been wanting to do.

Things continue to evolve in an electronically vintage manner throughout the ambient and sci-fi soaked, largely instrumental TronTX – another moment of welcomed space and calm. Then there’s an outpouring of classic hip hop alongside of a similarly reflective and retro soundscape for Futuristic Handgun. Doc STRANGE puts forth another varied performance, keeping things fresh and impressive. Guilty Simpson features on this track – a hardcore Detroit rapper who’s longtime affiliation with J Dilla created underground Hip Hop classics.
The creative freedom to explore and express whatever is of interest is unstoppable here, which makes for something loaded with individuality. A touch of Outkast comes through on occasion, as does a hint of Cypress Hill and some of the more classic driving forces from early hip hop, but this is brief and mainly in the rap flow, occasionally the beat. Everything else feels completely new. Like Michael continues the vibe and provokes thought with its story telling.
Hell Above closes things down, the story line appeals and the rhyme scheme impresses. The vocal rhythm varies throughout, keeping things interesting, entertaining. The hook hits hard and reminds you of the creative building blocks that made up this entire project. Doc STRANGE has a lot to offer that can’t really be found elsewhere right now. It’s a pleasure having this collection play out around you and hopefully there’s a lot more to look forward to. Well worth tuning in for.
Doc STRANGE’s project AAA is the follow-up his critically acclaimed EP Sindrome, produced by Tahiti and featuring Hip Hop legend Kool Keith on Telekenesis. All the songs on this project were produced by Doc STRANGE, in house producer Mike Turner, and Menace, who produced the album closer Hell Above. Menace is a Dallas radio DJ and underground producer/emcee who has collaborated with the likes of Royce the 5’9 & Nature. The entire album was mixed and mastered by platinum producer Ty Macklin, whose production resume consists of songs for Erykah Badu and India Irie.
Download AAA via Bandcamp or search for it on all major download & streaming services as of March 6th. Find & follow Doc STRANGE on Facebook. Visit his Website for more information.

Tags: Hip-HopDoc STRANGEArlington, Texas, USA

Rebecca Cullen
Musician & writer with an MA in Songwriting.

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Wow, the bass and hit of the beat – An Intro to Intrigue explodes into view, lighting up the road ahead for the brand new audio experience from Doc STRANGE. Espionage! is his latest album, a brilliantly crisp and chaotic alternative project that showcases a whole new side to the already creatively free and consistently striking artist.
Words like ‘original’ and ‘unique’ cropped up back when AAA was our focus, and nothing has changed in that regard. Plenty has changed stylistically though, and conceptually. The industrial weight of the drum-lines and the creative musical aspects showcased throughout this new venture fill the room with a brilliant level of energy and drive. DESTRO sees this turn into something more lively and intentional.
STRANGE exercises his unpredictable lyricism and expressive, theatrical vocal style in a continuously engrossing manner. Fragments of ideas, dark and intriguing, alongside short lines and quick rhymes make this one you’ll undoubtedly need to hear more than once to really connect with it.

In between moments of intensity there are delicate musical intricacies throughout this playlist – dashes of guitar, flickers of jazz-piano, melodies and hooks that craft engaging, alternative pop ambiances. Credentials makes the most out of all of this, a few simple elements but each one unexpected and free-flowing – rhythmic but artistic, and always more in tune with the progression of the story-line than a simple industry standard.
Espionage! (the title track) is absolutely a highlight. Bringing through a hint of Outkast influence, not for the first time, the pace and vibrancy of the track, fused with a clever structure, Doc’s story-telling and compelling vocal delivery, makes for something incredibly uplifting and refreshing to experience.
The Opposite of Dreams follows on with a relentless, breathless vocal, alongside another tribal beat and plenty of space. The lyrics, the depth of the concept, and the performance are what drive – no flashy details or layers are needed, and to contrast with Doc’s intensity and wit you also get a gentle, soulful female vocal providing a melodic aspect that helps keep things moving. A fascinating song that again begs for you to spend more than a single session with it.
When you asleep you close to time travelling…
Don’t Make Me (feat. Kris BOSS) injects a hit of haunting darkness, a musically fuller soundscape with a string-like backdrop and a manic piano riff meet the high energy of DOC’s vocal and ideas in a powerful way. Then you get the simple and somewhat retro vibe that is ON!. Fusing age-old synths with a light and familiar beat, a hint of world-inspired instrumentation, DOC offers some of his most provocative and interesting lyrics yet.
Towards the end, 92 SAAB presents a moment of calm and contemplated reflection – an enjoyable bass-line and a rise-and-fall chord progression create the perfect groove for this softer vocal presentation. Another highlight, somewhat anthem-like and reminding me a little of the hip hop band Spooks. Turn Me On follows and ignites a vintage jazz-cafe mood that’s cinematically immersive.
What you notice with each revisit, is that while volume and quirks are what first appeal, as well as clever, intelligently sourced lyricism, DOC’s personality and his individual story and background are offered up in shed-loads throughout these tracks. While there appears a level of distance between artist and listener, the closer you look, the more intently you listen, the more that proves to be anything but the case. DOC’s truth runs free on this album, in subtle but certain and smart ways, and this is the final building block that takes the album higher than eve.
GoodNight (feat. Kris BOSS) sees things to a colourful and energizing finish. A mighty collab, two artists with a shared mindset and understanding of the artistic space. A rhythmically collected, enjoyable groove, a great way to go out.
Espionage! is an intentional and thoughtful, creative hit. Doc STRANGE strikes again – nobody does it quite like he does.
Album out July 28th – find it over on Bandcamp. Check out our in depth interview with Doc. Strange here. Find & follow Doc STRANGE on Facebook. Visit his Website for more information.
Hip-HopDoc STRANGEArlington, Texas, USA
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Rebecca Cullen
Founder & Editor
Musician & writer with an MA in Songwriting.



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