It's hard to ignore the polished sound of Indianapolis native Mathaius Young on his newest project Angel Deep. Dedicated to cultivating his own sonic imprint, Young is heavily involved in the producing, mixing, and mastering of all his albums in addition to his high major production and collaboration with artists such as Don Toliver, Jazz Cartier and Sonny Digital.
All this experience comes to light on Angel Deep, a sweeping hip-hop exhibition that features delicate sampling and melodies paired with adeptly delivered bars, a winning combination that shines as a beacon in Young's rising discography. A project that excels at delivering different vibes throughout; with slowed and haunting cuts like "Invested" and "Cloud 9" that linger delicately and provide refuge from the more speaker-friendly songs like the Tre Capital-assisted "Actors" and the relentlessly addictive "Poppin". Young also enlists Michael Seven for the smoothly reverberating "Space Age Shit" that embodies the project's futuristic feel and direction. Young's distinctive voice provides the sonic bedrock through it all; searing and candid, the vocals reverberate regardless of the tone of the track. Designed to easily flow over multiple replays, the project's deliberate sequence is perhaps where Young's experience and hands-on approach shine through the most.
Building up a music scene from scratch in their home city is an honorable and difficult task for any artist. However, Young has dedicated himself to putting Indianapolis on the hip-hop map. Partnering with fellow Indiana artists like Scotty Apex and Drayco McCoy from the beginning has enabled the movement to begin to take hold. Looking to vibrant music scenes in Detroit and Chicago, there's reason to believe that Indianapolis could be the next Midwest city to encounter a major hip-hop renaissance, especially with artists like Young continuing to shine and deliver gems.
