Soundclouds of the Underground: Jersey Club Edition

ABOVE: UNIIQUE.

These days, music truly lives online, with an infinite number of websites dedicated to hosting tunes for the laptop-wielding masses. However, the web’s bottomless pit of blogs isn’t the only place to troll for mp3 treasures—some of the newest and most exciting (Internet-friendly) artists can be sought out via Soundcloud, the online stage that allows musicians to promote and distribute their music to fans and friends across the globe. In this weekly column, expert Internet sleuth Alex Chapman goes deep into the depths of the music-sharing site, in hopes of shedding light on emerging acts, as well as sharing some digital diamonds in the rough.

The Internet acts as home to nearly every music scene in existence; no sound is too foreign to be found, and there’s always something new to learn (or hear) about the styles you’re already familiar with. The Jersey club scene, globally beloved by many, could sit towards either side of this spectrum. With the amount of material released by its prolific artists (who oftentimes act as producers, rappers/vocalists, and DJs), one may find it hard to see the sound ever going out of style. This week, we chose three members of the movement we think deserve a shout-out.

Uniique: “Make It Dump”

Who: There’s something about Jersey-born Uniique that takes hold of your attention. Whether she’s laying her smooth and sexy rap vocal on a track, remixing a club favorite, or playing the role of DJ, the young, engaging talent exudes an effortless swagger, all the while making you dance like a maniac with her collage of club sounds.

The Song: Crafted by talented producer K-SHiZ, “Make It Dump” employs the bang of some low-pitched piano keys and Uniique’s cheeky flow over a swift, bass-heavy rhythm. The result? An epic, undeniably catchy track that simply bumps hard.

Current Project: Check for info on upcoming gigs and more via Uniique’s Facebook page.

Who: Jayhood’s high-energy style is taylor-made for tearing up the club. The slew of songs on his Soundcloud can clearly act as proof: the angry synth banger “Move Ya Waist” find Jayhood fervently rapping, while the sweet but still hard-hitting “Heartbroken” has him taking the producer role.

The Song: The song’s sexy sample adds nicely to the track’s buildup, which explodes into a crazy breakdown aided by Jayhood’s lively dance instructions—his raw shouts are almost akin to famous club voice Fatman Scoop.

Current Project: Keep up with Jayhood by logging into his Facebook fan page.

Who: Plainfield, New Jersey’s HotRod (real name Rodney McCargo) got his start messing with FL Studio, but soon enough the hobby took a turn for the serious—now the young talent is a part of Cartel Music crew, home to such talents as DJ Sliink. Much like Sliink, Hot Rod seems to embrace trap as much as Jersey Club, combining the two with tracks like his remix of 2 Chainz‘s “Wut We Doin.”

The Song: Employing a sample with slow-dance soul, HotRod gives things an R&B edge while still keeping his track dance-oriented. Starting with the mere phrase “move that ass,” the producer layers little by little, pitching the vocal, adding shouts, bass, and a number of new sounds to keep things more than interesting.

Current Project: This past February Hotrod released a new mixtape entitled Room 114—you can download it here.

Soundclouds of the Underground runs every Thursday. For more, click here.