Josh Levi - 'HYDRAULIC: FUELED UP'
What’s Good Y’all?! Happy spooky season! WOW, this year has flown by, right? Friends, I have a confession, and I’m deeply disappointed in myself for the way I picked this week's feature. I started out passing on this album a few times because I wasn’t feeling the cover of the album—ridiculous, right? I am a big cover art girlie! A good cover draws me in and speaks to me, so sometimes, I pick my music based on what the cover looks like. However, the re-release of Josh Levi’s album Hydraulic did not capture me from the jump. I gave in and clicked on the album. It had two discs and 15 tracks from a new artist. I wasn’t ready. But then I saw the features: Kirko Bangz, Teezo Touchdown, Brandy, and the hot new girl group, FLO. This might be worth a listen! Then I kept scrolling and looking into this new artist and noticed he did a radio takeover with Issa Rae… NOW I HAVE to listen to him because the one thing I know about Issa Rae is that she KNOWS good music! Friends, I beg of you, if you haven’t listened to Josh Levi yet, this is your chance to get in while he’s on the rise!
Josh Levi, from Houston, Texas, is a singer-songwriter and actor. He looks familiar because he gained attention on NBC's Friday Night Lights. He gained more fame as the seventh contestant eliminated from the third season of The X Factor USA. After his stint with a short-lived boy group, Levi released his debut extended play, Disc One, in July 2020. However, it would not be until October 2025 that he would release his debut album, HYDRAULIC. On September 16, he re-released HYDRAULIC as a two-disc album. It features five new tracks and is now called HYDRAULIC: FUELED UP.
I loved this project for the nostalgia it brought. The songs and videos reminded me of 106th and Park and TRL. Josh Levi’s energy made me wish I could vote for him in the top ten. I even felt like rushing to the grocery store to grab the latest Right ON! or Word Up! magazine so I could find out his sign, his favorite color, and what inspired him to create this project.
So I love this entire project from start to finish! I love when artists know they have a great project on their hands and they extend it with even more great tracks. Some of my favorite songs on this album consist of "Rodeo," "Swerve," "Don't Go," and the "Say It Remix" featuring Brandy.
London On Da Track produces both the original and the remix of "Rodeo"with Kirko Bangz. The track has a great vibe for head boppin' and two steppin'. "Swerve" is also a fun song about losing yourself in love; it’s catchy, and I love the choreography in the video as well. "Don’t Go" is a fun twist on Destiny's Child's "No No No". It's catchy and makes you want to hit repeat again and again. "Say It" is great without Brandy. Still, I love what she adds to the track. Her surprise features on new artists' songs feel like she’s handing off the baton to the next generation. I appreciate that.
Last but not least, Josh Levi is currently on tour, so if you want to see him live, I highly suggest it! If you know Josh from Friday Night Lights or just learned about him, check out his latest project for your next listening session. Don’t take my word for it, check it out for yourself; the links are below, and remember to come here to tell me what you think.
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