Kartik. is an Indian beatmaker with an extensive Bandcamp catalogue, dating back to 2020. His latest EP, ‘QRTRS.’, offers ~17 minutes of rawkuts
in a similar vein to the likes of Knxwledge, Ohbliv, and 2005–2006 Dilla—both audibly and aesthetically.
The beats hit hard, the chops hit harder, and the raps hit hardest. You can either let the EP ride out in the background or listen intently and let it ride you out… or something. I dunno, it gets harder to describe these sorts of releases with new and inventive words. They’re heavily-compressed, low fidelity hip hop beats and they sound dope. Take it or leave it.
What I will say is that Kartik.’s music reminds me that hip hop really is a global genre. Starting out in New York and branching out to every country1 you can think of in all kinds of weird and wonderful ways. So it’s good to see dope music coming out of places you don’t normally associate with a certain genre as it breaks stereotypes and borders and leaves your vision and ear holes clear for more of the same.
- I wonder if they have a scene in Vatican City ↩︎