The hip-hop underground has grown into one of the most diverse and interesting places on planet Earth. From the addictive arrogance of the SoundCloud rapper revolution to the territory’s outer reaches where a transcendence of artists crossing over between traditional hip-hop and other stylings is quickly expanding, it’s easy to get caught off guard but difficult to be surprised when it happens. Today, we were both. 

 

Boland is a Toronto artist of the high-energy school. But where he differentiates himself is not necessarily his fast-paced delivery or his fast pace of release, but instead that his lyricism contradicts expectation. Postcard, with its violent cadence and dark melodic production, appears at first dedicated listen to be a love song – an unexpected opinion turned fact when watching the track’s visuals. 

 

Looking past its surface-level texture that could light up a club’s dance floor, Boland’s wide range goes much deeper where it explores the emotional territory of the post-relationship.

 

Accompanying shots of himself and the choreography of a wildly talented performer, the visuals for Postcard allow a collection of the young and the heartbroken to write messages to their ex-beloved. The result is a weirdly cohesive blend of emotionally somber relatability and high-energy hip-hop that very much fits the bill of the unexpected and infinitely expanding underground scene.