Hip-hop has always been about blending cultures, sampling the past, and creating something fresh, in hopes that you, the listener, get excited for something truly special—a genuine fusion of two musical traditions that already have a lot in common and just haven’t been introduced at the right party yet. It All Comes Alive by HinnRYK is a testament to that ethos—an ambitious 12-track album that fuses the hard-hitting beats of hip-hop with the intricate melodies and textures of multiple cultures and types of music.
From the jump, It All Comes Alive makes its mission clear: You will have a good time, and you will like it. The first track kicks off with a smooth, synth-heavy groove, and suddenly, you’re in it—caught between The Baron’s infectious hooks and Daniel Gray’s razor-sharp delivery, like you just wandered into the coolest house party in Reykjavik. By the end of this project, you immediately clock in to that moment wherein two people realize they’ve been best friends this whole time and immediately start planning a project together; a full-circle moment. The production is stupidly good, and more importantly, well-tuned to the point that you can tell this is a skill that was polished to get to this point, with the ridiculously crisp drum patterns as proof. Every synth, every drum hit, every little flourish has been tuned to perfection, like someone spent weeks agonizing over a single hi-hat sound, which is apt knowing how much producers can be overly critical of their work, and I say this as a producer myself.
The production throughout the album is meticulous, featuring a mix of samples that from what I can note to be very Indian-influenced, adding another layer of multiculturality, as well as cinematic soundscapes that transport listeners across continents, with a balance between organic and electronic sounds that is downright masterful, with some songs leaning towards the golden-era boom-bap sound, while others embrace modern trap, with 808s complementing every track and providing an extra punch to bars.
Lyrically, the album is just as compelling as its production. The lyricism on this project reflects on the duality of ambition and destiny, rapping about generational expectations while flexing streetwise lyricism. I’m On My Way provides a fun and vivid narrative, painting a picture of bustling city life with witty wordplay, with the horn interjections providing a fun energy to the song and making it sound even more kinetic. Let Me In features the most theatrical presentation in tracks, and it’s a cinematic standout. This Error dives into a more introspective territory, with lyrics touching on spiritual growth, diaspora identity, and overcoming struggles.
While the album is largely impressive, a few moments feel slightly repetitive. A few moments feel like the album is really enjoying its own aesthetic, maybe a bit too much. A couple of tracks lean so heavily into the production style that they blur together. It’s the musical equivalent of wearing an outfit so good you forget to switch it up, and suddenly people start wondering if you own other clothes. But honestly? That’s a nitpick. When an album gets this much right, you don’t get mad at a couple of slightly-too-similar beats.
It All Comes Alive is the kind of album that makes you get up and go, as in move around. It’s bold, catchy, and unreasonably well-produced for a debut. HinnRYK isn’t following trends—they’re making music that actually deserves to be played at high volumes. Do yourself a favor and give it a high-volume listen yourself; you’ll come alive as well.
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About the Author
A tenured media critic known working as a ghost writer, freelance critic for publications in the US and former lead writer of Atop The Treehouse. Reviews music, film and TV shows for media aggregators.
