Chris Kabs is a man that has a lot of stories to tell and on his latest EP ‘The Untold’ he is only getting started to tell us some of them. Prior to its release we were given a taste of what to expect with singles like Temo and Space, but if you go in expecting something along the same lines you might be disappointed. There are tracks here that are in that same trap and hip-hop mold, but overall what you get is a much more well rounded version of Chris Kabs.
As a producer he’s been spending the last number of years working with the likes of Loah, Tebi Rex and JyellowL too name a few. During that time he’s also been slowly creating his own sound and making sure that he comes out with a quality record. Plenty of other artists would rush out an EP before they’ve even figured out who they are as an artist. On ‘The Untold’ that patience pays off as not only is it an incredibly polished EP but one that’s a true representation of where Chris Kabs is as an artist.
He kicks things off with a sound that we’re more used to with the stellar opener For You and the follow up Don’t Waste My Time. The latter has a real swagger to it and it sees Kabs at his most aggressive, taking aim at those trying to taking advantage of him. A snarling bass line adds some real bite to a track that is already overflowing with energy. With lines like “Every single thing I’m tryna do/ they just want to put their name on it/ trying to take me for a fool,” it’s clear he has had enough of record labels promising everything under the sun and not delivering.
For the majority of the EP he deals with both his personal and professional relationships, but it’s when he focuses on his personal ones that we really see him open up. That’s the biggest change from his earlier singles as we really get to see the man behind the music. On a track like Jealousy he experiments with some new instrumentation and we also get to see his lighter side. What Happened on the other hand is a genuine pop powerhouse with a chorus that’s just made for radio. It’s the closest thing to a pop song on the EP but it still retains that signature Chris Kabs style.
Enemies is a great closer and it ends the EP on a more mellow vibe. It’s an ode to his haters as he sings during the refrain “I’ve been so busy working/ I forgot to pray for my enemies.” In his eyes having doubters is a good thing because it gives you motivation to try and prove them wrong. Having to prove yourself is a recurring theme on the EP and in many ways it’s a reflection of where he stands in the Irish music scene. He doesn’t get the same credit as some other Irish artists who have only released a rough demo. Hopefully ‘The Untold’ will be a launching pad for Chris Kabs and hopefully it’s just the start of his story.