Ness Heads - “Ya That’s Cool”

SXSW 2020 (cancelled) - OEB Score: 8; Popularity Index: 3

Pairs Well With…Jean Deaux, Swae Lee, Noname

Not quite R&B and not quite straight hip hop, Chicago’s Ness Heads finds a unique, trippy lane on a string of early singles since debuting a little over a year ago. Heady space is filled with trap and psych-rap beats, giving space for Ness Heads’ sing/rap mixed vocals to gently bounce or strike intently. It also gives the emerging artist a chance to stretch, from the rhythmically quick, yet woozy flows of “Pull Me Up” to soft, reggaeton-ish vibe of “Glowing”, both tracks that appear on Ness Heads’ first EP Numb. Her latest single is “Ya That’s Cool”, an expectedly laid back track, but one that has some underlying tension in the way Ness Heads drops down melodically from each beat (it’s hard to explain, but worth checking out), pulling from mumble rap modes but twisting it in a cool and dynamic way. By jumping between banging modes and more experimental territory, Ness Heads keeps her music interesting, but would still fit comfortably on modern rap radio. (Kevin McStravick)