Live from the Abyss- Denzel Curry
- Ryan Arecco
- Oct 12, 2020
- 2 min read
(Single) (Hip-Hop)
Rapper/writer Denzel Curry is back with another protest track, following his release of “Pig Feet” a few months ago. Whereas that one was a visceral, intense, adrenaline-inducing song, this one takes more the pace of a slow burner. It still maintains the activist momentum from the last one, but applies to it a different angle of the ongoing protests.
This track’s concept is someone actually reporting news or a relaying a message “live from the Abyss”—which lends itself the title—where ‘the Abyss’ seems to symbolize somewhere in the middle of a chaotic America, where widespread protests have become the last defense against the injustices committed daily by the American system. Curry then takes on the role of narrator, giving us an insight into the protests, and some of the political context surrounding it.
The concept is made stronger by the sampling of an actual news reporter at the beginning of the track, and the intercutting of actual sounds from protesters at various points in the track. “Pig Feet” shares this in common, as that track had an opening sample of a woman reacting to a murder committed by a police officer, adding a gruesome and disturbing spark to the track.
Speaking of sampling, the instrumental line on “Live from the Abyss” is very haunting, and fits the track perfectly. It sounds something like glass bottles being struck, and it makes the single sound creepy and very apt for the month of October. Denzel’s mic is a little blown out as well, simulating the raspiness of a voice that has been screaming for such a long time.
Overall, the track has excellent presentation, I just wish it was longer than a minute and a half; it would’ve served to expand upon the concept a little more, and would have aided the track’s overall message. I also wished Denzel variated his flows a little more, just to keep the track fresh at times when his hypnotic flow gets a little monotonous.
Give the track a listen:
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