Madison’s Godly the Ruler returns with their most incendiary genre-blending bop yet, Midwest, out via NYC indie label Pack Records and Everything Forever. With EP dog days released just last month, Midwest is capitalising on the momentum they’ve generated, and turning up the heat. Godwill Oke, the producer, singer, rapper, and creative force behind Godly The Ruler, has proven across their relentless flow of singles and SoundCloud releases that they’re always making. So it’s no surprise that this soon after dog days, they’re back and pushing their own boundaries once again.

Where dog days demonstrated slick production skills and a knack for storytelling and infectious hooks characteristic of both the emo and rap genres Godly pulls from, Midwest elevates them all before pulling them together for a slice of mosh-ready emo rap. Bursting into life with a breathlessly pacey verse and a pulsing electro instrumental, Godly has well prepared us for the intensity of the chorus. Emo tropes like an insistent, scream-along melody and a healthy dose of “this piece of shit town” grind up against Godly’s dizzying production, jagged hyper-pop inflections and rapid-fire rap sections to create a delicious molotov cocktail of the lot. Plus, there’s the distinct voice of Godly themself, surging forwards as part of the emo-rap renaissance that’s captivated fans and hasn’t stopped peaking for half a decade now. And Godly has the drive to push to the front alongside genre leaders.