Hear HXLT Merge Post-Punk, Hip-Hop on Dark, Dreamy New Song "Anti-Special"

Years before the current trend of rap and metal genre-mashing, Chicago's HXLT was laying the groundwork for the two worlds to coexist in a cool, refined, thoroughly modern way. Back in 2016, he released a self-titled album on Kanye West's G.O.O.D. Music, which brought textural guitar work and punk-leaning song rhythms to the chiller end of hip-hop, but never let it feel tired or slow. Now HXLT is readying his sophomore record BLOOM FROM DOOM, and today, July 18th, he's dropped the new burner of a song and video "Anti-Special." 

What makes HXLT stand above his contemporaries is how his personality and influences meld together way differently than others in his lane. Whereas other acts pull from the noisier and more aggro side of rock and nu-metal, HXLT's instrumentals sound not unlike new wave or post-punk. The tension-building bassline beat of "Anti-Special" would fit right at home on a Depeche Mode song or one of New Order's darker cuts. 

His rapping is laid-back and almost dreamy during its chorus, twisting around the synth work right before the song pops into the chorus, bringing in an arsenal of guitar riffage. The beat transforms into a quasi-breakdown as HXLT reflects: "But I'm still anti-special." The song leads to an out-there bridge, before slamming back down one more time with a cool, riffed-up send-off. 

Watch the stylized video for "Anti-Special" above — in which HXLT delivers his performance among a moshing crowd lit by flashing strobe lights — and pre-save BLOOM FROM DOOM  before it's out on August 9th. 

BLOOM FROM DOOM TRACK LISTING

Peace Keeper
Youth Attack
Time and Space
Anti-Special
All My Friends
Stay Alive
Ace Intro
Ace
See Above
Lifespan Of A Dollar
AM
Worldviews
Out Of Darkness