Toronto-Based Canadian Rappers Release New Album
APB (formerly known as The Airplane Boys) are Toronto-based Canadian rappers composed of Mannie Serranilla and Jason Drakes. For more than a decade, the duo have been touring and performing internationally and opening for high profile acts including Big Sean, J. Cole, Snoop Dogg and Kanye West. They’ve also graced the stages of music’s most popular festivals like Coachella, Osheaga, SXSW and Paradise International Music Festival, and have collaborated with respected artists like Diplo, Twista, Illangelo and Jessie Reyez.
As We Speak, their latest endeavor, is a journey for its listeners that starts off with deeply personal tracks that encompass uncertainty, loneliness, and self-destruction. By the third track, “NEO”, listeners are challenged to choose a different path, displaying the choices one has in life. As the album progresses, we see a shift towards change, and ultimately the reaching of a higher vibration, taking into account everything that has been left behind.
“Got You”, the fifth track off the album starts with smooth indie synths and a simple, yet groovy bass riff. It includes an incredibly catchy chorus that will have listeners humming the melody for hours on end. The reintroduction of synths mid- way through the track adds the right touch of magic and allure, making listeners feel as though they’re watching the sunset on a rooftop in New York City.
Another notable track off the album, “Change the Vibration”, includes a pop-punk vibe within a deeply philosophical environment. As the title suggests, trying to change the vibration and reach a higher frequency is the goal here, as listeners are asked to reach a level to be their best selves. The song itself has an industrial, brash vibe, almost to assertively send a point home.
As We Speak is a deeply intellectual and philosophical record all while the melodies and sound stay relevant to the current time. It’s never boring or preachy, but rather revolutionary, and its profound, thought-provoking lyrics create a discourse about the world we live in, asking it’s listeners to question the “norm.”
As the world is currently in unprecedented times, As We Speak reflects the need for movement; one that includes apathy and action, where silence is no longer accepted. The album is a moral guide, asking its listeners to vibrate higher and ultimately, do what’s best for the greater good and humanity overall.
Listen to As We Speak now below!
