Santi returns with “CINCINNATI PUMPIN!!”
ALTÉ MUSIC. That’s the name of the music genre effortlessly personified by Cruel Santino, alias Santi. A new class of music, it was created with one crucial goal in mind: to help facilitate freedom of expression for all who might come across it. It’s no surprise then that it encompasses such a diverse, if not infinitesimal array of sounds, weaving together genres like afrobeats, pop, dancehall, indie, rock, and alternative R&B, amongst so many others. These sounds, selectively combined and seamlessly fused according to the artist’s tastes and musical inclinations, thus become what is called alternative music.
If you have come across Santi’s music at any point in time, you must have noticed how different his music tends to sound—raw, expressive, constantly evolving. You probably even noticed how difficult it is to compare his music to that of others because it’s just not the same, and finding a baseline for that comparison would inevitably prove futile. To create music that stands gallantly in a class of its own, one must also be in a class of their own, and this definitely applies to Santi. Beginning his music journey in 2011, Santi gained extensive public recognition in 2016 with the release of the hit single “Gangsta Fear,” and the momentum continued with him gaining even more fame with the release of several hit tracks over the years and eventually his critically acclaimed debut album, “Mandy and the Jungle” (2019), which cemented his place in the music industry.
Having released two mixtapes, “Diaries of a Loner” (2011) & “Birth of Santi” (2013), an EP, “Suzie’s Funeral” (2016), and two albums, including the recent “Subaru Boys: FINAL HEAVEN” (2022), Santi dropped a captivating four-track EP, titled “Cincinnati Pumpin!!,” featuring Odunsi (The Engine), Len, and S-smart. The EP offers a dynamic range of sounds, blending Afrobeat, Trap, and even Fuji vibes. Each track invites energetic nods from the listener, creating an immersive sonic experience. Describing this musical journey is an endeavor best left to the ears, and so, I invite you to immerse yourself in the EP and let the music speak for itself.
