New York City’s underground darling, CLIP, returns after a year to bring listeners her debut album, “APPETIZER”, on August 11th. I have kept my eye on CLIP since coming across her single “FALL BACK,” a fun banger that meets at the intersection of rap and hyperpop. Since then, she has garnered a large online following and has caught media attention, with appearances in magazines like PAPER, Interview, DAZED, Hypebeast, and more. Now, with so many eyes on her, expectations are high.
The album opens with the intense and energetic “yeahh(L’s).” Immediately, CLIP hits listeners with a rage beat and an aggressive and catchy chorus; I repeated, “It’s none of that sh**, none of that sh**” for hours after listening. It’s obvious that the production has improved significantly from last year’s EP, “Perception”; sounding much more full and vivid. I particularly enjoyed her raspy cadence for the bridge, reminiscent of Playboy Carti’s vocals on “Whole Lotta Red.” The same creative risk works to CLIP’s benefit on “riot.”
CLIP bares vulnerability over ambient-plugg beats on a few of the songs. Melancholic and relatable lyrics on “sandy toes” express her struggle, complimented by a dreamy melody. The infectious hi-hats over the emotions bared on “Mindfck” will have you sobbing while bobbing your head.
She also experiments with drum and bass and hyperpop elements. The transition happens after the chaos of “riot” fades to silence. On “twilight zone”, the fast breaks push along the lo-fi melody to make a moody bop. Her vocals are integrated into the instrumental through distortion and sampling, elevating the production. The album’s highlight, “can you feel meh,” continues the hyperpop themes. Reminiscent of PinkPantheress, this fuzzy and pretty track is impossible not to dance to. Her expert flow and her ethereal vocals make it hard to find a single negative about the song. Over anything on the album, these tracks have me most excited for what’s to come.
This short and sweet album was a fun listen and significantly improved from her previous releases. The album felt thematically consistent, yet she still managed to show off her versatility by rapping over various beats with ease. Though, at times, her bars are lacking, she makes up for that with catchy flows. This album is just the appetizer for her full potential.
Catch her on X and Instagram @bloodyclip and stream “APPETIZER” on all major streaming platforms:
Score: 7
Jose Zamora is a writer and creator from Boston, MA. He has been a music nerd since middle school when he started his record collection. His passion for Hip-hop began when he discovered legends like Nas and Gang Starr and became obsessed with up-and-coming acts like Kendrick Lamar and A$AP Mob.
He is a recently graduated, up-coming journalist, passionate about music and culture. He is always keeping an eye out for the next big thing and is eager to put their talent in the spotlight for others to enjoy. He believes firmly that “Good art deserves to be talked about.”