Retro Nicotine - All of My Idols are Dead
Retro Nicotine is a nineteen year old music artist, currently living in Miami but originally from the Midwest. Having made music for about a year, Retro Nicotine brings a fresh style to the alternative, pop-punk and rap genres, fusing different genres together in a way that shows a lot of potential to rise. Today we take a look at Retro Nicotine’s new five-track EP, All of My Idols are Dead.
All of My Idols are Dead kicks off with “Decatur”. This track comes in at two minutes and twenty-six seconds and really starts the EP off strong. “Decatur” features a chugging instrumental track with uniquely melodic vocals; I really hear some rap influences in this song and it does an excellent job of teasing the distinctive approach that Retro Nicotine keeps up throughout the EP. The second track on the EP is “Dennis Rodman Remix” which features Dream State, Retro Nicotine’s music collective. This song is pure alt-rap with a groovy beat and melodic rap flow. “Dennis Rodman Remix” really stands as an excellent display of Retro Nicotine’s skills and the feature of Dream State on this track is truly excellent, adding some force to a great song.
All of My Idols are Dead cover art. Credit: https://www.instagram.com/ozzysfantasy/
“Starless” follows as the third track on the EP and it is one of my favorites. Although very little about the track (especially the instrumental portion) feels like pure pop-punk or emo, I felt the exact same vibe from “Starless” as I do when listening to those genres; this song is the best example of how Retro Nicotine captures a familiar energy but presents it in a completely new package, which is something I have begun to love about his music.
“Are You Okay?” is the fourth track on the album and it gives off incredibly strong pop-punk vibes through its lyrical content. This track is exceptionally relatable and its down to earth nature shines through the instrumental portion of the track’s usage of an acoustic guitar to accent the beat. All of My Idols are Dead concludes with “8am” which features prod. from kingvirgil. A lo-fi beat provides an exceptional base for the songs vocal performance and here again, Retro Nicotine shines. Although the shortest track from the EP, “8am” is still incredibly memorable and sends the EP off in style.
All of My Idols are Dead is a brilliantly powerful show of force from an In some ways, Retro Nicotine’s music reminds me of the new direction Machine Gun Kelly’s music has gone in, though Retro Nicotine’s music still stands strong on its own; only someone with a rap background can twist pop-punk/alternative music in such a standout way and this new subgenre is certainly exciting - and something Retro Nicotine absolutely owns. You can find All of My Idols are Dead on Spotify, Amazon and iTunes and be sure to keep up with Retro Nicotine on Instagram!
