For Milwaukee MC IshDARR, his life has to be playing out like a dream. Two years ago, he was a senior at Messmer High School piecing together what would become his career with his then music teacher. Fast forward to 2016 and the 20-year-old is taking meetings with labels, having young Hollywood starlets tweet his music and releasing his second full-length project Broken Hearts & Bankrolls.
At first listen, Broken Hearts & Bankrolls doesn’t carry the normal inequities you’d expect from an artist who isn’t old enough to legally drink. The production is robust and mixed with attention to detail. His flow is polished. The storytelling sequencing is spot on and there is a preset focus on the direction of the music.
“Bad Four You” showcases Ish over well-placed synths and soul claps as he waxes poetics about overcoming doubt and naysayers. Ish is able to sum up the angst of having to rely on yourself with lines like, “Man they talking but they never know, only listen, listen to my soul/always creeping, always on the low, probably end up leaving, never coming home.” Ish, accompanied by downtrodden keys, keeps that reminiscent theme with “Dumb Playing” as he tells the story of his collegiate football potential to following his heart into music, “Platinum medals like I’m back in O-State, life accomplishments I’m looking in my dad’s face/Jim Tressel knew that I was special in my younger days, switched my career and told my momma I’m gone innovate.”
Where the missteps lie in Broken Hearts & Bankrolls is that the production is too consistent. Over the course of 12 songs that barely topple 37 minutes, the album plays out like one long track. There isn’t enough sonic variation to allow the listener to develop a full, emotional connection. Records like “Sugar” sound like they were made with the specific intent on being in rotation at a posh and swanky nightclub opposed to be a versatile cut from a Hip Hop artist. IshDARR’s young age also begins to glare after a few songs in as the subject material becomes redundant and leads to the album relegating to simple background noise.
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While there are a few miscues that kept Ish’s second effort from shining as bright as it could, IshDARR is laying the foundation for a promising career. The growth from his 2015 debut Old Soul, Young Spirit to now is evident and the trajectory is high. Providing vibe-worthy moments, Broken Hearts & Bankrolls is a solid effort from a young and developing MC that’s worth your listen.
