Baltimore’s Norm Regular has hip-hop in his genes. His brother and cousins were part of local ’90s rap collective Infinite Description and the apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree. Clichés aside, Norm hit my line last week with his debut LP, which serves both as an homage to his brother’s group and as a proper introduction to Norm as his own artist. He came to me humbly, but also hungrily. With that in mind, I checked out the project like any purveyor of good music would.

The project has a clear boombap feel, which grabbed my attention almost instantly. I’m a sucker for the sound and people who do it in 2021–and do it well–get my attention from the jump. The beauty of opting for this sound is this: it doesn’t sound dated when it’s done well and Norm does it well. From start to finish, the lyricist delves into who he is, why his familial ties brought him to music, and why he’s an artist we should be on the lookout for in the coming months and years.

On top of that, it’s just good lyrical hip-hop.

Something else that helped Describe Infinity stand out among a crowded feel is that nothing about it feels forced. From the homages to his brother’s group to his choice of lyrics, everything flows here in a way that is authentic. A listener can dive into this and get an honest look. That’s, in a field that sometimes relies on embellishment, a valuable trait to have. Overall, it’s a project that’s worth a listen–if only to hear how his brother’s group inspired Norm’s own path to hip-hop.

Check out the project above and remember to support dope music in all its forms. You never know who’s next to blow.