
Thereโs a certain boldness in turning big, messy global systems into music that actually grooves, and Wes Carroll pulls it off with The Capitalocene. Released in 2026 under the Wes Carroll Confabulation, this four-track EP dives headfirst into conscious issues. Blending hip-hop, soul, jazz, and roots, Carroll builds a sound that feels both grounded and exploratory, like a late-night jam session that somehow turns into a political awakening. Slide guitars drift alongside vibraphones, beats thump under poetic bars, and through it all, thereโs this sense that history is breathing down our necks.
The title track, โCapitalocene,โ kicks things off with a slick, genre-hopping momentum. Catchy beats anchor the track while Carroll raps with a smooth, charismatic flow, gliding effortlessly between lines. Thereโs a looseness to the rhythm, especially when the arrangement swings into a double-time jazz-inflected section, giving the track a restless, shape-shifting energy.
โItโs Our Turnโ shifts the tone without losing the message. Here, folk and soul textures soften the edges, while a steady groove carries the track forward. Carroll comes across as hypnotic as he reflects on ancestry, resistance, and responsibility. When the marching-band-style rhythm creeps in, it adds a quiet sense of movementโlike a procession, or maybe a call to step up.
Then comes โApolitical,โ and yeah, this one hits with urgency. The beats land harder, the flow tightens, and Carrollโs delivery speeds up, edged with frustration. Swirling vibraphones and slide guitar weave around the verses, creating controlled chaos that mirrors the songโs themes. He sings about untapped capacity, turning into an uncomfortably familiar mantra.
โAll Abouttโ closes things out on a more expansive note, blending indie rock energy with introspective pacing. It builds slowly, with piano, rhythm and voice, before opening into something more communal, almost hopeful.
All in all, The Capitalocene doesnโt just critique the systemโit invites you to feel it, question it, and maybe even push back.
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Review by: Naomi Joan
