Here's the impolite truth about beat tapes: Most of them are vanity projects that nobody cares about aside from their creators. The vast majority play more like talent reels than standalone art pieces, and even a lot of the better ones sound like sets of unfinished instrumentals that the producer was never able to pair with the right rapper. But every so often a beat tape comes along that strikes the right mood and leaves an impression, and spring/loops, the latest from Milwaukee's Sm^th, fits that bill. It's the latest is in a series of season-themed tapes from the producer, following 2017's summer/loops and 2016's fall/loops, and while it sounds less beholden to the season that spawned it than its predecessors, it's an excellent sampler of Sm^th's suave soul, exotica-tinged mood pieces and bustling nods to East Coast hip-hop.
You can stream it below.
