released January 1, 2025

AD - No Title Review

man this album hit different. i wasn't ready for how raw it feels. AD, aka Anthony Perez, or Tony, or whatever name you know him by - this ain't some polished studio mess. this is real. like, you can feel the room. the vinyl crackle, the slight off-beat drum taps, the way his voice breaks on "ghost town" - yeah, that one. it's not perfect. and that's why it works. first few listens? i was like, "cool, kinda slow." but then it sticks. like a splinter you don't notice till it hurts. the beats are simple, almost lazy, but they crawl under your skin. basslines hum like a fridge in an empty apartment. and his flow - man, it's not flashy. he doesn't try to impress. just talks. like he's sitting across from you at 3am, half-awake, spilling thoughts he didn't mean to. i don't love everything tho. "neon dreams" drags. like, cut a minute and it's golden. and the synth on track 5? too thin. sounds like a toy keyboard. felt outta place. but then again, maybe that's the point. like, everything's slightly off - and that mirrors the lyrics. loneliness, doubt, that weird numbness when you're chasing something but don't know what. what i love? the honesty. no bragging, no fake hype. just quiet pain and little moments of hope. "paper boat" made me stop and just... stare at the wall. then cry a little. not even sad - just felt something i hadn't in a while. and the vinyl? yeah, it matters. you gotta play this. streaming doesn't catch the warmth. the way the needle hits that first groove - it's part of the experience. like lighting a candle before a ritual. funny thing - i found this in a bin at a thrift store in Oakland. $3. cover's faded, corner's dinged. didn't know who AD was. took a chance. now i can't imagine my life without it. not trying to be dramatic. it's just... this album gets it. gets me. even if "me" is messy, tired, kinda lost. last track ends in silence. not a fade-out. just - stop. like the music walked out the door and left you sitting there. took me three tries to realize it wasn't a glitch. it was intentional. and damn, that's powerful. never heard of AD before. might never hear from him again. but this one thing? this little scratched vinyl? it's magic. real, broken, human magic.

No Title by AD similar albums

1. Cream by Tujamo & Danny Avila - tujamojz.bandcamp.com/album/cream
2. Mis Raices by Anthony Carrillo - anthony-carilloot.bandcamp.com/album/mis-raices

1. Illmatic by Nas - sharp rhymes, raw streets, pure fire.
2. The Chronic by Dr. Dre - smooth funk, lazy beats, west coast magic.
3. Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) - gritty, wild, like a martial arts film on wax.
4. Ready to Die by The Notorious B. I. G. - life, pain, and punchlines all in one.
5. Liquid Swords by GZA - cold, precise, like a samurai with a mic.
6. Black on Both Sides by Mos Def - smart, soulful, got that quiet storm vibe.
7. Hell on Earth by Mobb Deep - dark basements, paranoia, New York in winter.
8. AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted by Ice Cube - loud, angry, and way too real.
9. Stakes Is High by De La Soul - not flashy, just truth with a beat.
10. The Infamous by Mobb Deep - if silence was a threat, this album would be it. Funny how some of these came out before AD even picked up a mic, yet they still whisper in his flow.