Shock The World, the new EP from Virginia-based hip-hop soul artist CoolhandTrew, is a slow-burn reintroduction to feel-good music with emotional depth. The five-track collection brings you groove, vulnerability, and late-night reflection all in one. After two decades of honing his craft through TV placements, national tours, and collaborations, Trew steps back into the spotlight with a project rooted in presence, combining hip-hop, R&B, and indie grooves into something that feels lived-in yet fresh.
The opening track โNext to Meโ drifts in on glinting percussion and floating keys, the bass booming softly like a heartbeat. The gruff, breathy voice raps sincerely about longing and hesitation, while the smooth male hook and the rich, sensual female vocals glide like velvet over the beat. It goes like, โWe can go from shining lights to becoming the shooting stars,โ taking the listener from the mundane to the cosmic, hinting at a transcendent love, dreaming while cruising, fedoras and playlists becoming shorthand for intimacy.
Then the title track โShock The Worldโ turns the dial up. Heavy bass pumps steadily, beats snap sharply, and Trew raps coolly, slipping between charm and reflection. Itโs all about writing your own script as the hook goes, โWeโll shock the world.โ When he says, โIโmma follow your leadโฆ just live your life,โ itโs an unglamorous kind of loyaltyโan anti-hype anthem wrapped in club-ready production.
By โMake Me Feel (Nobody Else),โ the cinematic closer, soaring orchestral textures meet Trewโs gravelly sincerity and a swooning, soulful feminine chorus. She swoons in her rich tenderness, โDonโt nobody else make me feel like you,โ laying bare her neediness.
The EP is available on coolhandtrew.bandcamp.com, with visuals and mental health advocacy tied into its rollout.
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Review by: Naomi Joan