Over the pew few weeks, Bella has been hyping up “Chemical Reactions” as a project that would change the landscape of Desi Hip Hop! While a claim like this has been used very loosely by every DHH artist, Bella has almost always managed to somewhat match the expectations. Be it Home – The Album or God Made Me The Greatest Mixtape, the MTV Hustle Winner’s projects have been top notch and Chemical Reactions is no different!

Bella – Chemical Reactions Review

Thematically, Chemical Reactions is very intriguing. The project is the internal projection of Bella’s art and principles. As per Bella, his artistry has evolved so much that his heart has internalized the thoughts in his brain. Be it his inspirations [Kendrick, Travis Scott, J Cole, Raftaar (?)] or the principles [Brotherhood, Loyalty, Trust], his heart and pen have mastered the art to translate them into his own sound effortlessly. Bella names this process Chemical Reactions as this process has made him a perfect artist; making Bella a utopian concept aka Bellopia. Is this process because of drugs? Or is it because God made Bella the greatest? That is open to interpretations but it is an interesting concept nonetheless.

Bombay Circle & Raakh Zamana Kar

Chemical Reactions starts with Bombay Circle which is a banging drill track with an extremely wavy melody sample [a shoutout to the new sound trend in the Bombay – Pune scene]. The track is all brag and is a testament to the fact that Bella has made it to the big leagues of Bombay and talks about the problems which come from being in the big leagues. Bella rides the multiple kicks and snares extremely well with impeccable control and cadence.

Next up is Raakh Zamana Kar with music by Rohit Gaira and arguably the weakest track of the EP. While the track is not bad at all, but when compared to Bella’s previous work or the other songs in the EP, it fails to deliver. The track for me provided nothing new as it is something we have heard a lot from Bella both sonically and substance-wise. The aggressive cadence was the only saving grace of the track.

Kendrick Waala Gaana

The third and arguably my favorite song of the EP is Kendrick Waala Gaana. From the sampling to the production to the lyricism to the flow switches, the song DELIVERS! Uzi went ham with the beat which is an experimental sound of deflated horn blares, and multiple pockets of sound notes. The fast-paced rhythmic kicks and snares along with a sampling of Kendrick’s voice and Loyalty make the beat a complete package. Bella as usual did his job on the track but Uzi was simply sensational with his work!

Bellopia and Chemical Reactions

Then comes Bellopia which is undeniably the catchiest track of the EP. Bellopia starts with a faded audio of “Zamana Ho Gaya” and transitions smoothly to the beat by Uzi. This is the track where Bella finally starts opening up about the chemical reactions. After the vulnerable tale of Zamana Ho Gaya, Bella’s wounds have made him stronger and woke up an animal inside him. This animal now has nothing to lose after constant betrayals. He just achieves his goals and motivates his brethren. Special shoutout to the utility of drums and kicks in this song – the song bangs!

The EP ends with Rohit Gaira produced “Chemical Reactions” which is an extension of Bellopia. It is a melodious symphony of the struggles he faced and the experiences that carved the man he is today! Rohit Gaira does well with the music which follows a minimal structure of a sample loop backed by kicks/snare pattern with occasional guitar riffs.

Conclusion

In an interview for CR Men, Travis revealed the meaning behind his ‘Utopia’ album. “Medicine, nursing, being a better person, talking, language, communication — you know, a utopian state. That’s what my album is about”. Chemical Reactions is the tale of how Bella became so perfect – artistically and as a human being. It is his understanding of Utopia – Bellopia.

Sonically, Chemical Reactions gives you a flavor of everything; from drill to trap to RnB, the project manages to stand out yet stick to its theme. You can stream the EP here!