With Kiwi legend Scribe recently gracing the halftime show at the new Christchurch stadium, Raw Silk, which was released on the 3rd of April 2026, seems to have come at a fitting time. It lands like a quiet homage to that same lineage – the smooth, suave, gangster‑adjacent sounds of the 90’s and early 2000’s, but softened and stretched across a soulful, sunlit wave. SoulChef describes the project as a place of peace through music, and that intention is felt immediately: this is hip hop that cruises instead of hustles, rooted in real instruments and ease rather than urgency.
The journey kicks off with What Tomorrow Might Bring, an upbeat opener driven by a slapping bassline and mood‑lifting funky guitar that quickly establishes one of the album’s core themes – organic instrumentation woven into smooth hip hop beats. Best of Times continues in that lane, but with an even more jovial sound. The bright keys on this track bring the listener back to simpler times when neighbours waved at each other and children played on the streets. Such A Good Day shifts the feeling slightly; where the first two songs felt like starting the day, this one sounds like coming home after a long one. The reassuring energy is reminiscent of Home Brew’s Monday, and adds a sense of calm familiarity.
Emerald Avenue leans fully into SoulChef’s old school West Coast influences, with high wavering synths and smooth, reverbed keys that feel central to his overall sound and vibe. It’s light and polished but still has an air of swagger – like sipping gin and juice – except instead of cruising the urban streets of Crenshaw Boulevard, you’re taking a slow lap around Mission Bay on a summer afternoon. Moving In The Right Direction continues in this same lane, and while it’s solid, it becomes clear around here that this album is very firmly set on its path. SoulChef has found the “raw silk energy” he wants to bring, and this project is committed to maintaining its purity.
It would be remiss to talk about Raw Silk without highlighting the vocal samples and chops that appear across the record. While primarily instrumental, tracks like Simple Pleasures show how important these elements are to the soul of the album, driving home the first syllable of the artist’s name. These moments also invoke a strong connection to core Kiwi hip hop albums like Last Week by Home Brew and tracks like Dreaming from the aforementioned Scribe. Next up, Through The Night, steps away from these vocal samples but leans into some flute‑sounding instrumentation. It is understood this album is an instrumental journey but at this point in the album, the listener may start to wonder what more could be done with these songs. The beats are undeniably soulful, but they can feel repetitive. It would be great to see how a collaboration – perhaps with someone like Melodownz or even Scribe himself – could evolve the sound of tracks like these.
With The Neighbourhood comes a small break from the last few beats with a lala chant that drifts over a beat that sounds as if Dr. Dre sat down for a jam with The Black Seeds. The chant doesn’t grow beyond an instrumental element but adds a refreshing texture, nonetheless. At this point the restraint to not overproduce these songs or turn them into something more than an instrumental shifts to SoulChef’s credit. Perhaps in this age of consumption and excitement this focused and pure approach is what we need to bring the community and soul listener back into music. Again, it would be nice to see what SoulChef could do alongside other artists but maybe that’s not the point.
Tracks like Time Flies continue the established chill‑bap sound, while 1For U brings in female vocals and a more jumpy beat. It’s clear this album is more than just a collection of songs but a themed voyage where, as SoulChef puts it “you can go to escape the busy world.” The beats share similarities and blend into a journey that can be repetitive but feels crafted and intentional. SoulChef also states that “I wanted to capture a specific feeling with Raw Silk: the combination of hard, raw hip‑hop elements and the smooth, polished melodies of R&B and soul” and this focus might just be what creates the fabric of Raw Silk.
If this album creates the fabric of Raw Silk, the lead guitar lick in Quiet Storm creates the soul that SoulChef names himself after. It feels like we’ve come through the light and are relaxing on the other side. On this note the song titles throughout the album have been an immersive part of the world the artist is trying to create. Being the only real words on the album they provide visceral imagery that adds to the soundscape the listener finds themselves in.
Album closer While We’re Here opens with a slow fade in. Although the same nostalgic end of an era mood is felt in other songs throughout the album this track feels like the real cherry on the cake. A content and satisfied end to a day spent without regret.
Despite having no words, Raw Silk has created an intentional vibe that feels as uplifting as it does cool. A man with a “deep passion for his craft” may not have broken any boundaries but when you sound this comfortable and confident with who you are, who cares.
