Tech G – ‘Glass Of Wine’ [Album Review]

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Baltimore Maryland-based indie emcee Tech G is not new to TWIB and with a slew of releases under his belt, he is ready to set 2024 on fire with his new project Glass Of Wine. The 9 track project is his fifth studio project and the title is an ode to National Wine Day (25th of May). It’s an exploration of life experiences, coming to terms with one’s new disposition and cutting off the detractors and naysayers.

The first track “Hard to Give a F-“ is an aptly titled tune that helps set the tone with its edgy and no-holds-barred approach. Over the dark and brooding textures and thick drums, Tech G delivers a scathing look at life and how certain experiences make one grow a thick skin. Lines “Trying to show you’re something bigger than what you really are/The room and house too big for your little pride and ego to fit” see him decisively scaling down the perpetrators and pretenders alike. This is followed by “Navigate” which starts with a woozy synth lead, spacey plucks and mellow drum grooves underpinned by the rapper’s gruff vocals and impassioned flow. Here, he shows how he moves through the cesspool of life and the various characters along the way. Next up is “Crossing Lanes” which continues from the previous as Tech G explains further that while it’s cool to navigate properly, it’s even better to avoid crossing lanes in case you end up on the wrong side of the tracks. The song’s production is dark and hard-hitting and once again Tech-G holds nothing back with lines like “Or call a homie woot-woot/ Thats what lil chumps do/But they got the nerve to say you one/ who about wild shit, Unlike you, I’m gonna stay in my lane, maybe you should too” as he deciphers the street codes for those who might not be privy.

“First Taste” is a skit where Tech G tells a story about an encounter with an unknown lady which included wine drinking and the result was quite funny. “Mobslide” starts with a solemn string sample before thick 808 kick drums come into play. Tech G then peppers the track with a playful and instructional hook and some spoken word-type rap. On “No Mas”, audiences get led into the dark side of Tech G’s life. He reminds us that the line between friend and foe is thin and the watchword here is caution over everything else. Next is the title track “Glass of Wine”, a reflective tune that explores his mindset.

The project closes out with the brooding “Don’t Distract Me” and the reflective “Marsala”. The former is a dark boom bap banger ripe with no-holds-barred bars about being underestimated and the advantages it gives him. “Marsala” continues in the same vein with its solemn piano riff and punchy drum breaks underpinned by Tech’s gruff and commanding cadence. Here, he sends out a warning to detractors and folks who think they can play with his name.

Overall Glass Of Wine, is a taste of Tech G’s life from different viewpoints. He knows his onions as an emcee and his street affiliations help keep him on the right path as he avoids unnecessary drama. The songs are all threaded together so the narrative flows seamlessly from one end to another and the use of varied soundscapes from Trap to boom-bap also adds a dynamic feel to the project.