The thesis behind Abhi The Nomad’s new single "Stay" is right there in the intro: this is a program about flow.
Over the course of "Stay," his first release 2020 and featuring , the indie Austin rapper delivers a slick and crisp flow over an unwaveringly digestible beat; from Nintendo 64 references to relationship foundations, Abhi and austin hip-hop artist love-sadKID cover ground over the course of a two-and-a-half minute single.
With the latest release, Abhi The Nomad distances himself a bit from the indie pop-adjacent ear worm stratosphere he inhabited on 2019’s Modern Trash and centers more towards the dressings of 70s soul with a 90s flow a lá 2015’s Where Are My Friends.
Abhi The Nomad’s greatest work often puts his off-center hip-hop feel and sound at the forefront ("Soul Safety Administration" comes to mind). With "Stay," Abhi appears to be fully aware of this too, as he leans into being an indie hip-hop mainstay, rather than reaching for something lighter and more accommodating to commercial success.
–Ben Wiese