Born in 1994, Benjamin Thage Dag Reichwald, professionally known as “Bladee” is a Swedish rapper and singer producing music under the genre of cloud rap. In 2013 Bladee formed a collective called “Drain Gang” with his childhood friends Eccco2k and Thaiboydigital. When Drain Gang was formed, Bladee started producing his own music and eventually gained traction and popularity in 2016 when he collaborated with another popular Swedish rapper under the name of Yung Lean. “Ste the beautiful martyr 1st attempt” (Martyr for short) is Bladee’s most recent release following his last album “COLDVISIONS”. Martyr contains only three songs, the first of which has already made it to his number one most popular song on Spotify.
“One in a million” is the first song on this single, the catchy lyrics combined with the trap-esque beat truly encapsulates most of Bladee’s music. I heavily enjoy this song and it makes definite sense why it is currently his most popular song on spotify. Bladee kicks off the song with lyrics that relate to his lifelong struggle with mental health. Though the music itself isn’t serious, the lyrics at some points can be quite meaningful. This is an aspect of Bladee’s music that I can really relate to and enjoy.
The next track “Ask Jade” has a perpetual rhythm, but it isn’t quite catchy to me. It’s not my favorite but I can still enjoy it. There is still an undertone of a trap beat as always. Throughout the single, Bladee uses similar samples of what I’m assuming to be some sort of religious figure speaking.
The third track “St George the Martyr” is my favorite out of the whole single. The beat sounds different from the other two songs, which are similar in that sense. The beat has a sort of sparkle to it which I find a lot throughout Bladee’s music.
Overall I did enjoy this single, and I am actively trying to get tickets so I can see it live, so that definitely says something about its quality. My least favorite track was “Ask Jade” and my favorite is “St George the Martyr”. I would recommend this single to you if you’re interested in experimental cloud rap.
