There’s a new underground movement that’s been bubbling in the Garden State for a couple years and hopefully, they’ll be able to get some mainstream love. D.B Melly, who has freshly released the single, “You Are Here”, is an artist you should know and support. The New Jersey rapper pulls no punches and offers no gimmicks when he raps. His beat selection is on point and his bars are so honest and believable you feel like you’re on the block, exchanging stories with him.
The first thing that struck me on “You Are Here”, was the production. Guitars are not a hip-hop staple, its usually pianos and synths that dominate. Instead here, we have crystalline finger-picked acoustic guitars at the forefront, which drive the beat alongside the elegantly thumping percussion.
It’s impressive, and a primary sign that D.B Melly is intent on carving his own lane. His style is understated precision fire on the mic, wrapped up in nuanced storytelling.
D.B Melly exhibits an appealing dexterity and flow in his rhymes. The rapper’s alluring and heartfelt vocals are brought into sharp focus on “You Are Here”. It is quite the personal effort, as he touches on loyalty, trust, belief, ambition and other internal and relationship complexities.
It’s quite a lot to get through in just over two minutes, but D.B Melly succeeds in completing the task, by keeping his messages concise and to the point.
D.B Melly is introspective and emotionally resonant on this track. In fact, “You Are Here” is the perfect balance between bars and introspection. It feels like a natural account of a multitude of highs and lows – personally and musically – in the life of D.B Melly, and in connection with the people that populate his immediate environment.
D.B Melly is able to combine elements of Pop, Trap and R&B into his rap as well, and this song is a clear example of it. It’s also wildly effective. D.B Melly is still very much a new artist trying to find his moment, and “You Are Here” is another consistent output, hitting the sweet spot of straightforward catchiness.
It is successful in showing that D.B Melly isn’t someone you should overlook and that he’s very capable of reaching a larger audience with his music if given the right opportunity. He’s both a lyricist and can make tracks with sticky hooks, showing that you need a solid pen game to gain momentum.
To be on a higher level, you have to be able to balance authenticity, know your lane, and connect with your fans in a way that’s accessible. What will take you even further up the ladder is how honest you can be in your music. On “You Are Here”, D.B Melly gives us a brief glimpse of his potential in those qualities.
A part of the nu-wave rap scene, D.B Melly, probably doesn’t have a whole lot of miles on his treads, but chances are he’ll be trending upwards once he gets more exposure. The artist has a habit of doing quality work in his relatively short time on the scene. “You Are Here” is a new chapter to pay attention to.
OFFICIAL LINKS: INSTAGRAM – SOUNDCLOUD – APPLE MUSIC – SPOTIFY
