(Photos By HelioS)
sEMESTER DoS: kapSoura (listen/download)
Rapper HelioS has reached the next phase of his personal story. Last time readers heard from him, he was on Winter break from college. Unfortunately, it turned out to be a tragic ordeal. However, HelioS picked himself up and kept moving forward. He went right on to endure the second semester of his freshman year of college. Here is what he had to say about sEMESTER DoS: kapSoura, the project that chronicles the Spring portion of his school year: “The story continues. After the events of my Winter break that inspired The Frost EP, I went back to college for my second semester. The Spring semester … this album is born from that time. I present to you the darker, eyelash-batting, seductive side of my little corner of Florida. The innocence of sEMESTER UnO: Shards is gone. I used to hide behind the wall of my own naivete. This time, I come out to play.” Sounds very enticing, right? Find out what all HelioS got into the second half of the school year after the jump.
The tale kicks off with a drum heavy based record titled “Descent 1.” The track has a dark tone to it which is amplified by the dramatic components and intense content. The themes of abandonment, destruction, and death are the heart of the piece. HelioS seems to be trying to come to terms with his mom’s passing while psyching himself to make it through the rest of his time at school. It’s a slightly disturbing process to experience, especially with the demonic like voice at the end. But it makes for a gripping introduction hands down. Things get a little brighter with the next selection. It’s called “New Friends.” The production is upbeat with peculiar musical elements and an animated vibe. HelioS takes the listener through the events that transpired once he touched back down in Daytona, FL. There was hanging out with his fellow peers, hunting for a female companion, partying with Valium, and more. The end portion of the record transitions into a Rock style number as HelioS finally finds a female to hook up with. Overall, it’s a very interesting offering. Seems like HelioS had a wild first few days back. From here, Helio dedicates a little time filling the listener in on his dealings with the ladies. Some are merely shallow physical trysts while others seem a bit more serious. A highlight from that area of the tape would be “Stirrings.”
Then, there is the dreaded heartbreak that anyone who has ever been in a relationship has experienced at some point and time before. It comes in the form of the tape’s title track, “kapSoura.” It is a mournful situation told via a guitar laced production and sad yet adequate vocals. It involves sleep deprivation, nightmares, and drinking as HelioS has discovered the woman he loves cheating on him. A painful pill to swallow indeed but HelioS doesn’t stay down too long. He’s out and about with the fellas again in the very next segment. The journey ends with HelioS looking on the brighter side of things and appreciating the beauty in life. The tape closes out with “Descent II, Styx” which is on the unorthodox side and still kind of grim; but it leaves a lasting impression for sure.
**My Two Cents: sEMESTER DoS: kapSoura was a very intriguing piece of work. The production was seriously versatile. Each track had a lot going on sound wise. It worked out well on some cuts and on others the differing sounds didn’t transition as smoothly. I think keeping things simpler production wise would be the best bet in the future. The story itself was well put together. I think HelioS captured all of the details of his second semester in a concise and appealing manner. As usual, it may not be every reader’s cup of tea but open minded listeners with some free time may want to check it out. -MinM
