Cadi is an independent Hip-hop artist from Central Florida. Over the past five years he has produced a sizable catalog of work which includes three full albums and a number of singles. His unique musical style combines modern Hip-hop grooves with ambient instrumentation. Lyrically too, the rapper mixes new and old-school techniques with a sizable vocabulary and subject matter that reaches beyond the typical Hip-hop wheelhouse. His sound and style are deeply rooted in nature and the elements, thanks to what he refers to as, “a rural and secluded upbringing.”
“Ardor” is Cadi’s brand new full length album, released worldwide to all major streaming services on February 2, 2021. The record is a complex and nuanced chronicle of discovery from a bright young man trying to make sense of an insane world. Thematically, “Ardor” lies somewhere between Walt Whitman’s “Leaves of Grass” and the 1993 film “Falling Down,” starring Michael Douglas. The former is a classic collection of poems about the transcendence of man through his unity with nature. The latter is a crime drama about a man driven to his breaking point by modern urban life, who then goes on a murderous rampage through the streets of Los Angeles.
As “Ardor” opens we find the artist in an introspective mood. On the track “Hiraeth,” over a mellow Trap beat and an airy backing track, he looks pensively to the past and at the sorry state of the present. Ultimately he resolves to retreat to nature as he sings, “Off into the woods I go, to free my mind and to free my soul.”
Once there, his communion with nature first breeds an omnipotent stance. Over a gangsta beat he rhymes, “I am the holder, the purveyor the bestower of happiness and of content. I am the bringer, the shepherd, the herder of pain of sorrow and of lament.” He finds a bit of peace in his whispering love song to nature, “Susurrus.” However, that peace is short lived.
The record’s “Falling Down” moment comes in the form of “Perdition.” The song is an angry Trap groove in which the rapper, disgusted with work and society, knowingly throws all rational thought out the window and declares, “I could talk in metaphors but the only thing I wanna say is, fuck this shit.” Fortunately, he did not go the way of William Foster (Douglas’ character in the film). On tracks like “Noctuary,” “Ceraunophilia” and “Ethereal” he finds some solace, first with aid of chemicals and then later by returning into his beloved forest.
While in the woods, Cadi mulls over his various philosophies of life, love, man and God. At times, as on the title track, these philosophies are at odds as he tries to reconcile his anger with a more peaceful nature. On the hard Rap track “Pyroclasm” it seems as though the dark side is coming out on top.
However the record ends on the dulcet tones of “Nefelibata.” The title is a Greek term which means “cloud walker.” As ethereal synths and a soft piano play over a slow old-school beat, Cadi delivers a melodic and peaceful rap in which he sings, “Sleep soundly, dream proudly, smile bright.” He ends the record with the simple and happy declaration, “I win.”
“Ardor” is a smart and thoughtful piece of work from a bright and talented young artist. Listen to the album, below. You can also hear the title track on the Deep Indie Beat playlist. Follow the links below to connect with Cadi and get in the loop on all of his current and future projects.
Connect:
Cadi on the Deep Indie playlists
