With summer right around the corner, it’s only right that Syracuse spitter Tone Atlas blesses us with some serious fuego in the form of Water to Wine, a 9-track heater convention that’s packing some serious vitamin D. The Big Italian kid from The ‘Cuse calls to mind emcees like Vinnie Paz and Action Bronson, ripping every track with unrelenting punchlines and clever word wizardry.
Water to Wine, entirely produced by hometown crony Elemnt, is anchored by hard-hitting tracks like “Haters” and “Savages,” but also by more thoughtful joints like “Stranger Things” that highlight Tone’s versatility. He also throws in some random movie soundbites to give the project a vintage, Wu-Tang Clan/Jedi Mind Tricks-like feel. Overall, the record is pieced together masterfully and Tone is brimming with confidence on every cut, which is indicative in his no-BS commentary on the release:
My goal for this project is to show you who the f*ck I am. The production is monumental, the lyrics and track concepts are cinematic, and this is truly the beginning of a legendary duo in Hip-Hop.
Water to Wine is available to stream on Spotify and Apple Music. To see Tone Atlas melt a mic in action, check out his freestyle on Shade 45 — might wanna lather up some SPF 2,000 beforehand, though.