Greek-Colombian artist YUNG MAS keeps a close hand on every part of his work. Based in Vancouver, he is a songwriter, producer, engineer, and creative director who shapes his music alongside its visual identity, treating each release as another step in his artistic development. His #GXP collective reflects that approach, with an emphasis on experimentation, immersive sound, and individuality rather than familiar hip-hop formulas. Even his vocals resist settling into one mode. A relaxed, sometimes near-monotone delivery gives way to melodic phrases, processed tones, and sudden changes in cadence, all woven into the production.
That approach takes a darker turn on “Dead Fortune,” a seven-track project lasting 22 minutes and 23 seconds. Its concept draws on the phrase “dear future me”…dead fortune, and the music unfolds like a transmission sent through a damaged digital connection late at night. Experimental trap, emo rap, drill, and grunge rub against one another, giving the record an unsettled character. YUNG MAS seems comfortable leaving the rough edges exposed, finding room to experiment rather than forcing the songs into a conventional shape.
The production is thick with blown-out bass, ominous synths, haunting melodies, and hard-hitting percussion. Distortion feels deliberate here, as do the moments when the vocals blur into the instrumental. That instability gives the project much of its character, with atmosphere often carrying as much weight as the rhythm.
Opening track “Tinta” sets the mood with grunge-rock influences and sparse, punishing instrumentation. Skipping hi-hats, deep sub-bass, and dark ambient loops leave plenty of space around YUNG MAS’ voice, making every shift in his delivery more noticeable. He moves from slow, slurred phrases into sudden rapid-fire passages, using those changes in pace to keep the track uneasy and unpredictable.
On “dear future me…,” produced by TRUFACETONY, the space feels tighter. Distorted, cinematic 808s press against hazy, melancholic synth pads, while heavy vocal processing makes it difficult to separate the performance from the surrounding sound. There is a confessional quality to the track, as though thoughts are being spoken aloud in the middle of a sleepless night.
The sixth track, “eYeZ oN tHE tHroneE,” finds a particularly memorable balance. Sinister synths, haunting strings, heavy 808s, and forceful, drill-influenced drums meet emo-leaning melodies and heavily treated vocals. It remains catchy, even as the track stays firmly within the project’s shadowy atmosphere.
“Marxo (I Go Polo),” featuring JUGGMAFIA, brings a more aggressive rush, driven by punchy low-end, volatile rhythms, and forceful delivery. “#again,” meanwhile, runs beyond four minutes, letting hypnotic loops and breathing, side-chained production build a sense of repetition and mounting intensity.
Taken together, these songs show YUNG MAS working comfortably with friction between melody, aggression, and atmosphere. “Dead Fortune” retains its imperfections on purpose, creating a dark, digitally fractured listening experience for those drawn to the less predictable corners of underground rap.
“Dead Fortune” is available everywhere!