Album Review - Tec - ARCHITEC
REVIEW BY: Harry Hartney
Brand new release, ARCHITEC, is the debut record by underground Melbourne rapper, Tec, under Yin Yang Kids. The album follows a string of singles released over the last three years (from Divin’e in 2020 to HNY to kickstart this year) which display a real development in talent. His rise in popularity has been a direct result of the more polished, aggressive and stylistic choices in his production and delivery. On ARCHITEC, this is only more evident.
Opening with Center of the Earth (intro) kickstarts the project with a pulse. Astounding production with a chopped-up jazz sample by prodbyMUTE (admirably, Tec takes the time to feature all of his producers/contributors by name on the album’s track-list), gives the perfect introduction into Tec’s ability to maintain an aggressive flow over laid-back beats. JustMikey’s pan-flute on EARLY STAGES gives this next track a much different feel, slowing things down and allowing Tec to really move the song along himself, in synchrony with a relaxed drum that unpredictably weaves in and out under some stable synth layerings.
NOVEMBER sounds almost like Joey Bada$$ on an Alchemist beat. It’s raw, and the double layering of Tec’s vocals is extremely effective in delivering atmosphere to the song. Undoubtedly, the highlight of the album is C U Neva. Tec’s delivery is powerful, as he raps about teenage heartbreak in a showing of his astounding chemistry with the production on this project. The song is stirringly emotional, and the choice to bring in the drum beat mid-way through was poignant. Tec’s diverse range is on display on ARCHITEC, with tracks like EASY COME, EASY GO, which sees him opt for more of a jazz-rap approach, juxtaposed against I BE ON MY SHIT, which verges on screamo. As such, ARCHITEC almost feels like a resumé of Tec’s abilities as an MC, a direct expression of ‘This is what I can do, listen’.
After I BE ON MY SHIT, the album stays with the braggadocious feel on golden child, before shifting to the introspective titular track The Architec, which contains some of the best production on the album by Dasss MJ.
Tec’s debut album contains some of the finest work, and is an exciting look into the future of underground rap in Melbourne. This project squeezes 16 songs into thirty-four minutes, but nothing feels under-done. Tec’s ability to fully flesh out ninety second tracks is arguably his most impressive feat on this record. As the cover-art suggests, ARCHITEC is the blueprint to what looks to be a promising career for the seventeen year old. The album is available to stream on Spotify and Soundcloud now.
