When staying in touch with those far away has never been easier thanks to the Internet, there’s no border to what music can accomplish. That rings true for hip-hop group TRiiiPSS, who recently dropped their ninth song to date, “SANKO.”
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The trio, composed of triplet brothers Mick, Jay, and Kevin Litherland, all alternate duties depending on the track, making for a dynamic not often seen in hip-hop or music. But without that information, it wouldn’t be far-fetched to assume it’s all one person behind the operation for how much they act as a hivemind.
Since they switch between vocals, songwriting, and producing, it makes “SANKO” all the more impressive for how cohesive it is; not to mention, the three rarely make their songs under the same roof.
As if walking in on the Litherland brothers making music for themselves, the single finds one of them assuming a blabbering rap flow on the verge of a stumble while another makes monkey noises in the background. The laid-back approach works to their strengths, with the beat being perhaps more relaxed than their rapping. That’s not to say the beat is lazy, as the production gets dotted by clink-clank noises and smooth guitar playing found on previous singles.
By every measure, their personalities are on full display, making for an enjoyable listen. Even for those not accustomed to hip-hop, the sheer amount of fun the three sound like they’re having keeps the music entertaining and unpredictable. To the point where it’s hard to believe they don’t live anywhere near each other, with Mick in California, Jay in Arizona, and Kevin in Tokyo.
SHOW PICKS OF THE MONTH!
Based on TRiiiPSS’ social media, most of their singles were made by communicating through Zoom and emailing beats to each other. There are also the Instagram highlights dedicated to each brother, reminiscent of how the Vlogbrothers talk to each other by posting YouTube videos on the same channel. And while there’s no word on any album or EP releases, the under two minutes of “SANKO” is enough to hope for something big soon.
Words: David Sosa
“SANKO” by TRiiiPSS is out on all streaming services. For more on new music and potential shows, follow them on Instagram, TikTok, and Bandcamp.
