In March 2021 Matthew Cobis decided to take his first steps into the world of music. With zero experience in writing or playing, he wrote his first beat on a chrome extension and slowly started evolving and building on that by releasing a number of EPs and albums mixing his influences from Cypress Hill and Wu-Tang to Metallica and NoFX. Matching the summer vibes with more fun direction he released his latest record “BlackStar” that we’ll be digging deeper into right now.
“BlackStar” kicks in with the title track, an upbeat piece that gives us a hint of what we’re about to get into, and it is pretty exciting. “Façade” starts with a flowing piano line and a soft vocal melody that maintains the emotional vibe while the song smoothly transitions into a more hyped, energetic sound. With a really cool progression and well planned build up comes “The Sun Also Rises”. Another beautiful piano intro that escalates into some funky guitar melodies mixed by hyper beats that take the mood to a higher level. “Huxley’s Door” and “Lies” are built around some cool funk guitar melodies with a fun open sound translated into beats and on-point synth that took the sound into a higher level. “Eye of the Centerfold” comes next with a rocking heavy riff and groovy drums introducing a new pure rocking sound to the mix that I loved so much. With a totally different mood comes “Vixen”, it has some dark vibes, mysterious melodies and deep narrative vocals that’ll keep you paying attention throughout the whole song while “Impervious” introduced new flute sound into the mix with melodic synth and beats all derived from its sound, creating a whole new mood with big sound. What’s cool about “Look to the Sky” alongside its chilling mood is Cobis’ perfect guitar timing, he knows exactly when to throw a lick and when to play a groovy melody. The one thing that was kinda off about it-from my humble POV-is that the vocal melody was not in sync with music at some point. “Thirst Trap” brought some bright and colorful melodies with its fun classic pop sound and vocals. “Roughneck Scout” starts on a mellow chilling note before dramatically transitions into a heavy rocking tone. With distorted guitar riffs and intense vocals it shifted into a more dynamic and upbeat area where you’ll headbang to some parts and breakdance to others. Funk tunes are back on “Hey BabyBaby” with its groovy guitars and playful vocal melody that’ll keep you on your feet throughout the whole song. “Stuck in Love” comes next with lots of bass and groove with moving clubbing beats and last but definitely not least, Matthew Cobis decides to end “BlackStar” on a mellow note with “Soulburn”. A chilling tune with mellow groovy melodies and soothing vocals that’ll carry you to the end of the record.
“BlackStar” is a diverse collective record by Matthew Cobis, mixing his influences to create his own mix of electronica, rock and funk in a record that’s approachable to any music lover and can spread easily among his listeners. Looking forward to more, cheers!
