IDK‘s fourth studio album is soon approaching. The 30-year-old Maryland native has finally began preparations for his upcoming album F-65, although it has yet to be given a track list or release date. Regardless, IDK soft-launched the LP’s rollout on Feb. 17, releasing his newest single “Radioactive” on DSPs.
“Radioactive” sees IDK, once again, try his hand at a fresh, burgeoning genre. Much like his 2022 album Simple, produced by KAYTRANADA, capitalized on the buzzing dance music trend, “Radioactive” does that but with 2023’s latest flavor. Produced by LastHaze of Germany and BLWYRMND of Austria, the track provides an infectious Jersey club inspired beat.
When it comes to the most sought out sub-genre of hip-hop during the early portion of 2023, Jersey club surely takes the cake. Whether it be mainstream acts like Lil Uzi Vert, or underground phenoms like Bandmanrill, skaiwater and wolfacejoeyy, the sound has been captivating listeners for the last couple months. Now with IDK stamping the scene with “Radioactive,” Jersey club will surely just continue to go up.
Tweeting that the sub-genre reminded him of the Baltimore club music he grew up on, IDK knew just how to uniquely approach the production. With muffled vocals for a majority of the song, his “Ready, radioactive shit” hook sets the stage for his thrilling, menacing and sometimes-melodic verses to steer the track in a fascinating direction.
Confetti, one of my opps is dead
Machete, chopper gon’ chop that head
Alright, who the f**k want it now?
We gon’ get ’em in the day, we don’t ever gotta wait ’til the sun go down
Shots, shots, one more round
Throw another party, make ’em go down
“Radioactive” — IDK
When I first heard jersey/Philly drill, I thought about Baltimore club.
— IDK (@IDK) February 17, 2023
“Radioactive” also sees IDK travel to London with his crew for the visuals. Less than a year after filming his “Breathe” music video in Paris, IDK’s UK visit provides a more lively vibe in comparison.
At first, it was believed IDK would pursue a Simple Pt. 2 next. But, although he plans to take his catalog in a different direction with F-65, he still recognizes that branching out on tracks like “Radioactive” would not have happened without the first rendition of Simple.
.simple + kaytranada opened the door for me to try songs like Radioactive. Me prior would have said pass.
— IDK (@IDK) February 18, 2023
In a recent interview with him from October, he told us about how diverse he wants his discography to be, so that fans can decide which version of him they like the best. With the sneak peak in “Radioactive,” it seems like F-65 will add another layer to IDK’s ever-evolving artistry.
Check out IDK’s newest single below!