If DC’s United The EP were a person, it’d be that friend who’s been through some stuff, figured out how to turn it into art, and now wants you to feel better and maybe vibe out while doing it. H.E.M. Steel doesn’t just dabble in multiple genres. Rather, he absorbs them, transforms them, and then spits them back out as something uniquely his own. It’s not just genre fusion; it’s genre therapy. The DNA of rap, trap, R&B, neo soul, and trap soul are all here, but not as disparate styles; more like different sides of the same emotional coin.
H.E.M. Steel makes it clear he’s not here to chase the fleeting highs of TikTok virality. Instead, the EP’s six tracks build a mood, a space, a vibe. Once you’re in, you’re not just listening to music, you’re inhabiting it. His lyrical content moves effortlessly between the introspective and the declarative, shifting from vulnerability to confidence with the kind of balance that comes from living both. These songs aren’t just written; they’re processed; as in, you can feel him working something out in real-time.
One of the EP’s greatest strengths lies in its production choices. The variety of recording settings such as bedrooms, studios, likely a couch with some solid acoustics could have resulted in a disjointed mess. But instead, it becomes a kind of feature, not a bug. Each track carries the texture of its birthplace. Some are smooth and sultry, others raw and lo-fi. Rather than hiding the seams, H.E.M. Steel uses them to stitch together a deeply human experience. The ambiance isn’t just aesthetic; it’s structural.
And while the sonic landscape is rich, the emotional throughline is even richer. There’s melancholy here, but also resilience. There’s pain, but also joy. It’s music made by someone who’s clearly survived a few things and has chosen to alchemize that experience into songs that refuse to wallow, even as they acknowledge the weight of it all. You get the sense that DC’s United isn’t trying to be “the next big thing”. More like it’s trying to be the real thing, which is infinitely more compelling.
Is it perfect? No. There are moments that feel like sketches of bigger ideas, hooks that could land harder, verses that meander. But in the context of an artist finding his voice, those imperfections feel more like brushstrokes than mistakes. They’re part of the texture, part of the point.
DC’s United The EP isn’t just an introduction to H.E.M. Steel’s sound; it’s a declaration of his intent. He’s not here to follow trends. He’s here to build a body of work that sticks to your ribs, that makes you feel seen, that earns your replay not by screaming for attention, but by whispering truth into your headphones.
In short: this EP doesn’t just slap. It matters.
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About the Author
A tenured media critic known working as a ghost writer, freelance critic for various publications around the world, the former lead writer of review blogspace Atop The Treehouse and content creator for Manila Bulletin.
