When it comes to hip-hop culture Jacksonville is one of the last places you would think of as a hot bed, let alone a counterculture of artists at UNF.

More importantly, in a world where up-and-coming artists all feel the need to over-produce music, Aston Marton lets his beats guide his music and his vocals to paint a picture of events everyone can relate to.

Marton is all over the musical map with “Winter Solstice,” and where most artists fail trying to blend different styles, Mr. Marton does it flawlessly.

“Winter Solstice” starts off with “Orinoco Flow,” which is feels like a song that some of the best boom-bap artists could have done  in the 1990s. If boom-bap isn’t your style, then why not try some pop styles music like “In the Moment” and “Dangerous”? If there is one club banger on this album, it would have to be “Dangerous,” and I would not be surprised if you started to hear local DJ’s spinning that track out on the beaches or downtown. Even from there, you can hear sweet sensual R&B sounds in “I Would.”  All of the tracks work well together.

“Winter Solstice” is a very well put together album. Songs flow very well with one another with the mood slowly rising as the album progresses. The downside to the compilation of the album is that it is just an album of singles; songs don’t rely on each other to build a mood or tell a story. That is until the interlude, then it remains pretty stagnant, which is the best part of the album.

With southern-style hip-hop so focused on cars, girls, clubs and money, it is nice to have a breath of fresh air with Marton. His songs fall along the lines of love and having a good time. No hating on other people or flashing cash required.

To download, check out: BandCamp