Homeboy Sandman may be presenting some thought-provoking bars, but the real goal on his new EP is to make you get up and dance. It makes sense given the title of this four-song project, Dancing Tree. This a fresh collaborative effort between the underground Brooklyn rapper and producer Illingsworth. These two have some history together, previously working on another EP back in 2022 called There in Spirit. That was a slightly longer endeavor sitting at seven songs and 21 minutes. This 2025 release clocks in at 13 minutes. Their older body of work takes on a darker sonic approach with more aggressive rapping from Homeboy as well. But as we mentioned earlier, Dancing Tree is a sunnier and more joyous project, which provides a nice yin-yang aspect to their joint catalog.
Honestly, it's really hard to pick which style we like more, as both EPs have their respective strengths. There's obviously a bit more meat to There in Spirit which means even more high-quality material. At the end of the day, it really comes down to personal taste. Dancing Tree is excellent in our opinion as Sandan and Illingsworth both hold their end of the bargain. The beats have us ready for the summer months to arrive as instrumental is funky, bouncy, colorful, and groovy. In terms of the rapping and lyrics, Sandman touches on societal topics and advice giving with his conversational and sometimes comedic delivery. Sometimes, the contrast between the sounds and the words don't always fit together, but it's a nitpick. We highly recommend this tape, so spin it below.
Homeboy Sandman & Illingsworth Dancing Tree
Dancing Tree Tracklist:
- I'll Show You
- Be Curious
- Test Drive
- Too Deep
