Logic "Everybody" (2017)

It seems Ive been set on a path to work backwards through each of American rapper Logic's yearly releases, this being his third album and his first to debut in the stop spot on billboard charts. Its as convincing as the Bobby Tarantino II mixtape, a bright, energetic album full of charisma and energy emanating from the talented MC who handles a fair amount of production with his own beats on this equally enjoyable record. It doesn't have a lot to separate it from the mixtape format other than being a little more consistent with its theme and topic.

Logic, his long time collaborator 6ix and a handful of others forge a fine selection of flowing modern beats with a healthy mix of sampling, programming and trap influenced beats, as well as a couple of pop rap tracks for the radio. They set a fine stage for the raps which totally dominate the tone with a ton of food for thought. Through story telling, point making and generally speaking his mind. Logic tackles these personal problems and criticisms head on in a very upfront, straightforward and unapologetic way. These topics are heavily focused around racism and how we as people treat one another in this society.

It can be problematic how self involved in a progressive politcal world view he is. At times the lyrics can be naive and lack nuance and certainly walk down a very entrenched path but for me the message is clear, between many of his narratives he reinforces the message of love and compassion for one another. This endearing warmth goes a long way and although his lyrical content isn't as issue for me I could see it being divisive for others who may have a different world view.

Take It Back is a mighty track, Logic engaging us with his technical delivery over a very repetitive beat that becomes hypnotic as he reminds us to take it way way back. Its a powerful song, Logic having to defend the perception of his racial identity in the face of criticism. He walks us through his life's struggles and how it relates to a much larger picture. Other features make a large mark on the record too, the inclusion of Neil Degrasse Tyson in interludes adds this fantastic layer of thought to the nature of meaning and existence. He also brings legends Killer Mike and Chuck D to the album.

Overall its a fantastic yet flawed album mixing a handful of ideas in the pot that doesnt quite formulate into a coherent vision yet forges some fantastic musical moments and plenty of food for thought. The most endearing aspect is the character of Logic himself, through all you can hear an honest and kind hearted person, it goes a long way to make the album feel less weighed down by its subject matter and lifted by the beats and inspiration.

Favorite Tracks: Hallelujah, Everybody, Take It Back, America

Rating: 7/10

Lil Uzi Vert "Luv Is Rage 2" (2017)

 Of all the so called Mumble Rap that's peaking these days, Lil Uzi Vert has been the most interesting to catch my attention, his dazed and confused feature on the Migos song Bad & Boujee and an infectious "all my friends are dead" hook on the Xo Tour Lif3 single has had me put off this record for too long now. It's his debut album, a squeal to a mix tape of the same name and after a few years of building up steam he debuted at the top spot of American billboard charts, going on to turn platinum earlier this year.

Success aside the music is the most interesting aspect of course and Lil Uzi marks his presence as an emotional voice centered in the heart of the aesthetic. Although they call it rap, he blurs the lines, often singing infectiously with a wealth of auto tune and dreamy reverberations to abstruse his words and let the feelings flow as dissonance and "mumbling" often makes for many incoherent sentences that aids it to feeling over clarity. When in the rhymes its often simplistic, overtly repetitive and so ones attention might drift into the chemistry that's beyond the words, however when singing the record really illuminates as a plethora of memorable hooks and singing charms each of the songs.

Despite being trendy and currently "mainstream" these instrumentals come across as esoteric and dystopian, in an oddly warm and inviting way. Images of rain soaked neon light cities come to mind but that is my personal experience. Lil Uzi raps his way through heartbreak and pains on an open, emotionally lead journey that has its moments of braggadocio focused on wealth and lifestyle but mostly offers something rather different from the norm. Around him washy, deep and swooning beats create an airy atmosphere that's constantly lost in its own haze. Its indulgent, relaxing and often memorizing as exotic synths bleed with reverb over tight, contrasting trap grooves.

Each of the songs create a distinction and a few stand out. On the stripped back and gritty For Real, Lil Uzi drops back on his rap skills for a track that feels of a totally different temperament. Early 20 Rager does something similar and the flow is broken up as a couple of tracks pull away from what really works and that is Lil Uzi singing, getting into his zone and lighting up this strange and wonderful place that's emotionally honest and yet feels out of space, like a never ending drug trip.

Favorite Tracks: The Way Life Goes, Feelings Mutual, Malfunction, Xo Tour Life
Rating: 6/10

Logic "Bobby Tarantino II" (2018)

Its another case of "I keep hearing that name" and in Logic's case I may deserve a slap for not getting around to the Beverly Hills rapper sooner. At almost ten years into his career Logic has graced every year with an album or mix tape, of which this is the latter, a squeal to his 2016 mix tape of the same name. The intro track alone lets you know he has fans in cultural places, a feature from the fictional characters Rick and Morty play out an amusing narrative of the two debating which Logic project they wish to enjoy together on their intergalactic travels.

To start of with some unapologetic praise, my experience with Bobby Tarantino II leads me to believe that Logic may just be the amalgamation of Hip Hop's past, present and possibly future as the young rapper seems to have a master on the prominent styles and techniques associated with spitting rhymes on the mic. Across the fourteen tracks he displays a mastery of his own ability as words arrive in all manor of deliveries. From relaxed, laid back, half sung and auto tuned lines to rapid technical flows delivering a torrents of rhymes in choppy rhythms, Logic also hits on many mid paced flows too, showing hes got a wealth of style to pull on.

There aren't many moments of pure originality but whatever technique is brought to the mic, he owns it. When in comes to topics a lot of the album lyrics revolves around self relevance, the hard work and hustle to establish himself and defiance at his critics. Its all wrapped in smart and sleek, sturdy rhyme schemes that generally hits a reasonably high bar of quality without too many exceptional moments. As much as I enjoy his rhymes and flow they wern't responsible for the moments that stood out the most to me on this project.

Behind his voice we have a equally high bar of entry for the instrumentals which have a wonderful balance of older sample driven styles and modern trap influenced production that keeps things flowing fresh and fun from start to end. Indica Badu's laid back, summer and sun instrumental peaks the vibes at the records midpoint but its Logic's singing in the chorus and on Boomtrap Protocol that elevates the music. This plays into what I was talking about at the beginning of this article, hes mastered a lot with his voice and its special when he bounces between rhymes to singing the hooks.

 Overall I feel like this was a fantastic introduction to a very talented individual, however I get this impression he can do better. There's little to criticize but a lot of the topics he rhymes about feel a step behind his technique. Id also point out 44 More sounds very similar to Kendrick Lamar's DNA. One thing he has got down is the singing and use of auto tune. The songs with strong choruses really light up from the passion he brings through his voice. Fantastic record! Gonna have to work my way through his back catalog now!

Rating: 7/10

Favorite Tracks: Boomtrap Protocol, Indica Badu, Warm It Up, Everyday

Cardi B "Invasion Of Privacy" (2018)

American rapper Cardi B's breakout single Bodak Yellow caught my attention, as it did for many people. The hit single has gone five times platinum, launching her career into the limelight of the Hip Hop scene. Her unapologetic attitude, empowered delivery and plain use of language lets her Bronx accent charm on the microphone while she flows at a steady, sturdy pace that's easy to take in. She's got a vivid persona, energy and passion thats all about her rise to fame, a rags to riches tale of working hard to escape her life as a stripper and make in the rap industry, which no one can take away from her now given her record breaking arrival on the scene.

Unfortunately there is little substance beyond her hustle hard story which is told well on the opening track. With the album loading its best tunes into the first five tracks it quickly descends into a mud slinging romp of aggressive hyperbole after she tells her break up story on Be Careful. It starts with Chance The Rapper who features on Best Life, singing with a weak temperament, delivering a forgettable chorus repeating the "skrt skrt" noise over and over. From this point the record losses me entirely, either its the beats, rhymes or singing but something on earth track just rubs me the wrong way.

Money Bag has a banging beat and Cardi's flow is fire but lyrically is all to bitter and spiteful to enjoy, constantly taking hits at her doubters over and over again. When its become the recurrent theme to talk down at the same people it gets stale quickly. Every song focuses on throwing out insults while showing off her wealth and riches with a typically materialistic and braggadocios manor. These are the points where rappers can easily loose me and unfortunately it seems to be all Cardi has to offer beyond her endearing rags to riches story told in the first few songs.

The production is as modern and trendy as it gets. Pretty much all you could expect from the current state of Hip Hop. Some of the songs really go overboard on the "skrt skrt" sounds and goofy noises, the Migos manage hold themselves back somewhat and drop in with breezy verses utilizing a lot of spacious reverb to much effect on Drip. She Bad on the other hand has the laziest hook writing Ive heard in some time, just repeating the same words over and over. Ultimately this record just leaves me disappointed, I hope Cardi can find some real subject matter to get her teeth into on future albums because without substance her flow feels wasted to me.

Favorite Tracks: Get Up 10, Bodak Yellow

Rating: 3/10

Migos "Culture II" (2018)

Prior to picking up this album I watched a video essay about the length of the record. At a trying hour and forty five minutes this follow up to their hit record Culture is a double album loaded with mediocrity. The essay theorized that artists may pursue longer play times in order to inflate stream numbers and increase record sales certifications. Its a reasonable theory that sighted Drake's More Life as a release which is actually labeled as a playlist as opposed to an album or record.

If the Migos where aiming at streaming culture and extended play sessions then they certainly achieved that. Culture II's production has a hypnotic, indulgent and easy vibe one can sink into as the lyrics and words pass you by. The length comes at a price, with exception to a less that a handful of tracks most these songs only hit a reasonable faction of excitement. There are very few gems in a lengthy lull that plays like background music, mood setting but hardly immediate. Even if condensed to a single album It would struggle to peak beyond setting the Migos tone.

The trio give an impression of being self indulged, "in the moment" and living in the moment. In other words, It doesn't feel like much of whats being said is thought through or even revised. Many of the hooks lack depth, wit, weight or anything other than feeling like they are vibeing with the music. On occasions it works but the lack of filter means a lot of repetition and a plethora of goofy, ridiculous lyrics, "pulling up like huggies" a line that makes me chuckle every time, of which there are many.

The Migos vocals and instrumentals have that middle line of trendy noises and vocal quirks like the "skrt skrt" that tie the two aspects together. In this instance they go overboard, to the point I was constantly laughing at the dorky vocal inflections and auto tune manipulations that again come in abundance with very little filter. I think I said it with the last record but a decade or two from now these are going to sound very dated. They are executed with style, image and swagger over artistic intent and articulated expression. It says very little other than "cool" and trendy.

Culture II is a slug of a record on the lyrical front. It has a handful of mediocre, uninspired features. Post Malone sounds under utilized but a surprise came in the way of Cardi B and Niki Minaj who brought two strong verses, vicious and full of attitude they dropped train of thought narratives that rise like a monolith with nothing similar else in sight. It lit up a track the Migos where mumbling their way through until the two of them gave it some substance. Its obvious the Migos are all about mood and tone which no one can do it like they do, unfortunately this record has very little beyond a saturated vibe.

Favorite Tracks: Stir Fry, Motorsport

Rating: 5/10

Migos "Culture" (2017)

I wasn't moved by their break out hit Versace at all but having heard the Migos mentioned so often recently I figured I would give the American Hip Hop trio a try. I didn't expect much but walk away really surprised with how much I enjoyed this record. Its one half dope beats and another half comedy as these soon-to-be-dated over stylized trendy vocal sounds utterly dorky and ridiculous to the point where I find myself chuckling away at the "skrt skrt" noises and other comical sounds they conjure up, not to mention a rap from Lil Uzi Vert who sounds slightly concussed in his rhymes.

The production here, handled by many hands, is tight, crisp and modern. A spacious approach leaves lots of room for the excessive reverberations to bounces around in the space between instruments. Trap influenced hi-hat grooves rattle away over sub base kicks that snappy snares pop off of. Simplistic short melodies play steadily on pianos and similar synthetic sounds with occasional symphonic strings and the like in the backdrop. The tempo is steady and track after track sounds sharp, slick, laid back and oddly relaxing with a slight air of danger and eeriness on a handful of numbers. Its just the right atmosphere for the Migos to do their thing.

Lyrically... the verses are lacking substance, not a lot of the lines stuck with me beyond acknowledging the excessive braggadocio however I felt these modern and triplet flows were pulled of really well, lots of the vocals resonate in the atmosphere and the use of auto tune and pitch shifting effects felt aesthetically pleasing. Some of the records most memorable lines were essentially borderline gibberish but the delivery kept getting them wedged in my mind however the most fun was with the strange sound effect alike vocals making "pew pew pew" and other strange noises over the shoulder of the rapper on the mic. It amused me greatly.

Rating: 6/10

Favorite Tracks: Bad And Boujee, Deadz

Post Malone "Stoney" (2016)

I've only heard of Post Malone thanks to his friendship with the H3H3 duo, somehow missing the massive White Iverson single which has blown up to almost half a billion youtube views. That song alone encapsulates the records atmosphere which is obviously appealing for its mellow, relaxing and chilled out vibes. By using a lot of Hip Hop tropes and simple, stylistic oriented lyrics Malone hasn't been praised by the critical media however his massive success is testament to something unique he possesses that isn't heard elsewhere. Its not to say there is genius at work but clearly there are signs.

Two factors make their mark on this record, firstly Malone's laid back vocals swing between easy paced, straightforward yet slang soaked raps and tuneful R&B singing. Relying heavily on autotune inflections and double tracking, his voice finds a warm, inviting, painless place to operate from that's at many times rather spell binding in his ability to create an unwinding atmosphere to indulge in. Verses flow sweetly as words are stretched to the rhythm, often lyrically lack luster, simple rhymes for instinctive thoughts that occasional spark with a couple of cracking hooks like the chorus on "Congratulations", nothing you'll forget soon but that's no the fate of ninety percent of these words.

The second factor is production, mostly following the tropes of this Trap influenced era of Hip Hop, fast shuffling hi-hats and spacious kicks often dominate the percussive dimension and on some tracks they dive deeper into the disposable with "skrt skrt" shouts and jives. Its not particularly charming but its always smothered by the wash of dreamy synths and the melding of airy reverbs and sweep phasers coming from all angles to form a soft and serine setting that's mostly very persuasive. Its best moments come when the trendy beats are stripped back and other influences take form.

Songs like Go Flex with its acoustic guitar, soft strings, kick clap percussive and Up There with warm pianos and electric guitar licks, stand out as the deeper cuts. With elevated instrumentation not relying on trendy beats shows Malone's voice is a wonderful fit for something more ambitious. I can't rave about this record, it may be sweet, mellow and relaxing as it gets but a large portion of the lyrics are lacking and the instrumental qualities varies a lot. It does however have those moments that give a real sense of promise for Malone considering he wants to pursue his Pop and Country roots over this Hip Hop oriented sound.

Favorite Tracks: I Fall Apart, Go Flex, Congratulations, Up There

Rating: 6/10

Drake "More Life" (2017)

Canadian rapper Drake is arguably one of the biggest names in the modern scene and given the old guards distaste for him I never actually listened to the guy until Youtube's autoplay feature spun a few tracks. I like his style, its easy and inviting, with him being from my generation you can hear strong influences from the likes of Kanye West and Eminem in his approach to the craft. This newest release was possibly an odd place to start, the better lyrical themes revolve around a man who's climbed to the top and is now mystified to the pressures and contradictions of those heights, as he says you get praise on the way up and when you reach the summit everyone takes aim.

After four albums "More Life" is classified as a playlist, it even says "A playlist by October Firm" which I find odd given the lack of flow the album has. There are three or so different themes and ideas colliding here on a lengthy release that amasses eighty one minutes without a sense of direction. Between a collection of more "traditional" tracks Drake dives into swooning soulful vibes on tracks like "Passionfruit" as some subtle auto tune singing plays sweetly into a summery, jazzy laid back instrumentals fit for relaxing in the sun. Breaking up the pace, the inclusion of English Grime rappers like Giggs and Skepta sets a contrasting tone for another theme that takes hold, the "badman" raps, acting mean and menacing on the beat, dropping laughable rhymes like "batman! dun-nu-nut neh-neh".

The album opens with Nai Palm of Kaiyote Hiatus singing, a sample lift from their latest record, slightly confusing as it doesn't provide much of a link for the banging "Free Smoke" to roll of from. After a dark badman track with Giggs the album rolls into a groove with a string of indulgent songs boasting some Jazz, Downtempo and Dance influences to blur the Hip Hop lines as Drake flexes with tuneful sung raps. As the flow is broken up we get a track from Travis Scott, who's Rodeo album has massively grown n me. In his typical style we get what feels like a leftover beat, an insentient flute melody loops all the way through as excessive reverbs and auto-tuned vocals drone on. A cringey "skirt skirt" slang cries out in such a cliche way for these sometimes tiresome trap songs. Its a low point in that album that track to track goes all over the place.

"Teenage Fever" was surprising track, moody, slow and introspective vibes are pulled together for a fantastic chorus lifting lyrics from the Jenifer Lopez song "If I Had Your Love". Its a diabolical Pop song from the naughties that I never thought I would enjoy, even in this abstract way. After this point the music slowly winds down with spacious tracks that don't stir much of a reaction. The best of the record comes when it detours from the traditional "Hip Hop" song conventions. Drake's lyrics are also engaging when hes not singing, the perspectives on the turn of success speak loud and his engaging style leads you on a clear path through his thoughts. Its been a reasonable introduction in which the talent is visible but the arrangement of this record and inability to focus in a direction often dispels the mood some tracks muster leaving the impression of an hastily assembled collection of songs.

Favorite Tracks: Free Smoke, Passionfruit, Get It Together, Madiba Riddim, Blem, Sacrifices, Teenage Fever

Rating: 6/10

Chief Keef "Thot Breaker" (2017)

Chief Keef is a name Ive heard thrown around from time to time, often lumped into the category of "garbage rappers" who don't have the same lyrical principals of the generations before them. The young Chicago artist was in school and on house arrest when his popularity blew up online, leading him to a record deal with Interscope Records. His first full length dropped at the age of seventeen in 2014 and catching wind of this new release (an album? mixtape? or freebie, I'm not sure), I figured It was time to check out Keef and see what he's about.

After five or six spins Ive been shocked, Ive laughed, grooved and cringed but mostly felt utterly dismayed by the sheer ludicrous demeanor of Keef's record persona. His attitude embellishes self gratification, shallow materialism, bigoted sexism and drug addiction portrayed as a desirable lifestyle, at least to Keef who seems to relish in the excess he paints with his words. The record is littered with mind blowing lines. I always though of a "trophy wife" as a symptom of objectification and seeing measurable value in beauty, yet with a line on "Can You Be My Friend" Keef literally says "hold you slowly, treat you like a trophy". He also wears his addiction like a badge of honor, proclaiming "You trying to smoke what I smoke, you take a hit and die". I could go on but the point is Ive come up against an entirely different perspective and attitude towards life, people and morals that just shocks me, mostly because the music is an glorification of this world view and lifestyle.

Whats been so strange with this record is how much I dig the instrumentals, even the vocal delivery. Keef sing raps with a velvety auto-tune that sinks into the glossy, reverberated synthetic sounds that conjure a sleek, indulgent modern, night life atmosphere. Tight trap beats shuffle and rattle away sharp hi-hats and quick kick snares that hold a tempo for Keef and his synths to jive over. The chemistry is strong, the auto tune vocals often harmonizing, coming together with an organic feel. Its a great record to listen to when not paying attention to the lyrics but that aspect really spoiled my enjoyment of otherwise solid instruments with a lot of style and atmosphere.

Its loaded with swagger and braggadocio that plays into the compositions, its subject matter however just isn't right for my taste and as a result it sound rather goofy and soon to be dated, especially the trendy hype mans whispery shouts that back up the lyrics, saying "bang bang" in excessive auto tune, sometimes stating "bitch" over and over. I'm not sure who hes talking to but its kind of ridiculous... Checking out Keef on youtube it sounds like his older material might be more interesting but for now I need a break from this self centered madness.

Rating: 4/10

Vince Staples "Big Fish Theory" (2017)

It was only a while back that I was introduced to the young Compton rapper. Summertime '06 won me over so another album springing up so quickly Is a pleasant surprise. Big Fish takes of where Summertime left, working with the same producer Vince retains the distinct production style behind his rhymes, sub baselines crunch under tight shuffling hi hats and steady, cautious snare kick grooves. Where Summertime had a smoother tone with fragrant samples and a more "traditional" Hip Hop vibe, Big Fish takes a turn to new territory with strong influences from House and Electronic music that has much of the instrumentation used performed by an array of synthesized sounds.

 The album kicks off with "Crabs In The Bucket", if you removed Vince's voice from the track it would unrecognizable as a Hip Hop track, Its sweeping wind synths lead us into a smooth Dance groove with Kilo Kish laying down soft, echoing vocals over a climatic jiving baseline groove reminiscent of G-Funk. This tone follows through the record, many tracks would fall into another category if it wasn't for Vince's rhymes and that's the albums brilliance, Its abridged styles and created something of its own, a unique fusion that seems just right for this artist. The records tone has a rather cold and spacious quality, many of these crunking baselines and tight shuffling beats intersect with abstract electronic noises without an upfront melody. In response the baseline rhythms become a focal point of direction and Vince's often flat, leveled delivery reinforces the chilling tone. It works especially well when his lyrics go into darker regions.

With a handful of banging baselines and catchy hooks the album sets off fires in one instances and puts them out with its quirkier tracks that don't quite vibe the same. Not to say they are bad tracks but there is a note able difference despite a rather consistent tone. I like Big Fish Theory for its unique crossover between style two genres and much is to be merited for that success but it doesn't mean all the songs are automatically destined for greatness. With new territory comes new challenges and through the thirty six minutes I felt as if there was an imbalance between the quirky, rhythmically arranged synths and an opportunity for more dance laden melody and atmosphere, however that's just a matter of taste and unfortunately what started out as a really interesting album started to fade somewhat by the tenth listen or so as the overall picture of the record came into view. The songs just don't quite hold up and an overall direction is lacking, most notable on Alyssa that comes in with a long vocal snippet that has seemingly nothing to do with the rest of the record. The great ideas are scattered in here but they don't find their way to cohesion.

Favorite Tracks: Crabs In The Bucket, Love Can Be, 745, Bagbak, Rain Come Down

Rating: 6/10

The Underachievers "Renaissance" (2017)

One of my favorite modern Hip Hop acts is the dynamic duo of AK and Issa Gold, the Brooklyn based act known as The Underachievers. I was drawn to them on their debut LP, Cellar Door, a spaced out collection of Trap influenced beats where the two exchanged fast spitting rhymes. Their followup Evermore was a tale of two halves that produced a handful of riveting, inspiring lyrics in the opening tracks. To my ears the pair have evolved in reverse lineage to current trends, their lyricism growing more depth in expression and the beats frequenting nineties vibes.

Renaissance continues on that path with a smokey, concurrent theme bordering on Jazz Hop as Soul and Jazz samples soaked in measures of reverb set a mellow, hazy, indulgent atmosphere for the beats to ride. The use of modern production styles holds an obvious mold between old and new, mostly a strength for the instrumentals. Every few tracks a darker, leaner numbers switches up the mood, the soulful sampling is dropped in favor of slicker synthesized instrumentals and the twos rhymes often shifting gears for gangster rap alike rhymes. It starts with "Crescendo" which has a line that made me chuckle, "I'm addicted to the green, yea that's a strictly veggie diet!".

This breaking of the flow doesn't indicate much overbearing meaning. The album opens with a quote, a powerful one from MLK about leadership and enslavement, the following tracks provide food for thought on the socially conscious, introspective narrative. The theme quickly dissipates as the tone and lyrical directions shift. The albums production is quite shaky and inconsistent too, varying volumes and mastering extends beyond beats to the volume of the duo's voices too. "Kiss The Sky" is massively compressed in comparison to what comes before it, their voices jump out over the speakers.

There's a lack of direction, or concept to tie things together here but the good moments do manage to jump out. The opening few songs are the track lists best but as the record draws on a few other moments stand out. "Gottham Nights" has a stand out moody pitch shift on the atmospheric sample. "Different Worlds" ties the Jazz Hop to the darker vibes and has beautifully gloomy sung vocal sample reminiscent of Chelsea Wolfe. Following it "Break The System" pairs a bombastic snare kick groove with a trippy spaced out synth sample drenched in echo effects.

The pair seem without guidance here. Good beats and rhymes prop the record up but as an overall experience its a mixed bag of tricks that loosely fit together. The opening theme fades swiftly and I also noticed they grouped the three stoner songs together in the midsection but they only server each other. Its not a disappointing record, there is plenty to enjoy but the bar has been set high and we know they are capable of putting something a lot better together than this.

Favorite Tracks: Eyes Wide Open, Crescendo, Different Worlds, Break The System

Rating: 6/10

Kendrick Lamar "DAMN." (2017)

In his creative prime and swiftly moving forward from his instant classic "To Pimp A Butterfly", Compton rapper Kendrick Lamar hits us with a perhaps unexpected stark visual style, a picture of the rapper with a simple font in that brightest red shade. No conceptual art, polish or touch ups, just the the word damn. It would stick with me as the record opens, gospel singing and sorrowful string sections lead us to a sudden twist as a man is shot trying to help an elderly lady find her glasses. That and Kendrick going of on one at the end of "DNA.", the bass drops and Kendrick raps like fire, it had me literally thinking "Damnnnn". They would not be the only impressive moments of surprise and astonishment. There is a lot of creativity to be found here.

With the bar set so high, Kendrick does a fantastic job of moving forward, forging a new set of instrumentals to conjure a different tone. Far more electronics and lots of vocal manipulation fill the background of tracks between tight drum patterns and slamming sub kicking bass lines. Occasionally organic instrumentation comes into the fold however everything feels tinged in manipulation, acoustic guitars soaked in flange or beats cut together with reversed samples which seem to increase with frequency as the record draws on. "FEAR." has him rapping in reverse and the closing track "DUCKWORTH." reverses many vocal parts and beats like a tape playing backwards and speeding up. It ends up ending the record where it started off.

Instrumentally there's a lot of hands on deck, it plays through well but can sway in different directions, from dark futurist bangers, to old school beats like "FEAR." and a couple of pop tunes too. Although it offer a fair amount in places, its Kendrick who lights the tracks up with his flow and sharp lyricism, playing both direct conventional narratives and more artistic flavors too even throwing in a tribute to Juvenile's classic "Ha" where each sentence paints a scenario and asks a question with the simplistic ha? statement. He comes up with his own statement led rap with the iconic "I beat your ass" rap, painting a rather sorrowful tale of abuse in a broken home. Lyrically hes got relevant and smart introspections on his fame, role in his community, self perception and where things are heading and usually they unravel best in the faster of his flows.

 There is much food for thought but not everything is about thought provoking, which leads me to the weaker side of the record. For the moments he strikes gold there are equally some rather tame or uninteresting tracks, for me "HUMBLE." was a stinker. A couple of pop tracks, "LOVE." & "LOYALTY." don't raise the eyebrow much either. Its all preference and taste but I feel that Kendrick has put a firm foot forward and compartmentalized his current situation it a set of songs covering it from different angles. Which in turn means not everything follows the same path or relevance.

"XXX." is possibly my favorite track, moving through three phases we get very contrasting flows and instrumentals that gel together almsot seamlessly despite going from a raunchy cranking beat laden with police sirens to a smooth Jazz Hop instrumental with vocals from Bono. Its the shining example of what this album might have been but with its different aspects its as if the spell cast on the opening tracks gets chopped and churned on its way to the finishing line, spewing out many amazing moments between some relative mediocrity. I cast my mind back to how it took me sometime to really get into "To Pimp A Butterfly". I hope I'm late to the game again but right now it feels like Kendricks genius shines bright while a few clouds pass by.

Favorite Tracks: DNA., FEEL., PRIDE., XXX., FEAR., DUCKWORTH.

Rating: 7/10

Navie D "Opra EP" (2014)

Following up on the newer "Post EP" record we check out another seventeen minute collection of five tracks that are very much of the same vein, so much so the two roll off one another. "Opra EP" shows the formula was minutely refined with big luminous leads, synths and ghetto whistles sparking the tracks to life with memorable melodies to mark a climactic moment in the tracks trajectory. This is very much the same record without those moments to kick it up a notch from the mediocrity these ambient, ambiguous beats can fall into when they fall from the forefront of attention.

As mentioned these instrumentals are atmospheric, a collage of dissonance where traditional synth instruments are distorted in ambiguity and oddities that give them an organic feeling of disorientation. When giving it a keen ear the instruments fall into place and seem more traditional. Its this leaning to the unusual that gives the record its dark dystopian flavor that revolves around the mid tempo beats that fade in and out of focus. With steady and stuttering Trap hi hats the pace is marked along with screeching, howling synthesizers and samples of operatic voices eerily drifting in from the shadows. Its melodies are subdued and server to not been seen as much which is where I feel the record looses something its follow up has. Progression for this sound is certainly on a positive path and with Navie D having released his full length debut It will be next on my playlist.

Rating: 4/10

Travis Scott "Birds In The Trap Sing McKnight" (2016)

American Hip Hop producer Travis Scott's latest endeavor has been somewhat of a puzzle in my mind. Initially I disliked it, then it grew on me and a couple of gems in the track listing revealed themselves but now after plenty of spins I feel mostly disappointed. Last years "Rodeo" was a new and interesting listen for me but some of the tracks really grew on me over time and so I found myself rather excited for this release. Unfortunately my understanding of this record is that several forces are at work, a variety of ideas which on occasions add up to something fantastic but mostly fall flat. One of its biggest flaws is song structure, a lot of tracks meander and stagnate in instrumental passageways that use a lot vocal distortion and sampling between layers of synth. Without a direction the atmosphere and vibes conjured often fade into obscurity.

Lets start with the negatives. Travis likes to backup and affirm rhymes with echoing, pitch shifted "Yea" and "Straight Up" shouts. It gets tiresome quickly, they sound identical and there frequency quickly had me irritated. Secondly the rapping is rather questionable, Travis stroking his cactus? This record is loaded with bizarre lines and meaningless dribble which only for a couple of moments makes sense. The album kicks of with a feature from Andre 3000 of Outkast who really kills it. At first It was heartbreaking to hear such a talented and inspiring rapper drop into this new auto tuned sound but with each listen and familiarity with the lyrics I released he was killing it, showing how lyricism done.

With a lack of lyrical substance and cohesive direction there are moments of brilliance that spark from the experiment. Guest artist Nav kills it on "Beibs In The Trap" and makes sense of these lackadaisical rhymes styles. His overly simplistic rhymes and effortless style paint the careless attitude for the unsympathetic interactions hes expressing, its a moment where the style matches the intention. Then Travis jumps on the track and plays out these slow synthetic vocal moments, unstructured and drawn out they stretch aimlessly through this and many other songs. Oddly enough this same nuisance sounds genius on "Through The Late Night", my latest addiction. The songs chorus plays over and over and over while Kid Cudi hums a complimenting melody. Auto tuned and distorted it synthetically blends into the track like an instrument and is simply infectious. There are many other moments where these vocalized instruments jump into the tracks but rarely does it work like this.

The album experiments greatly with vocals as instruments, something Kanye pioneered in Hip Hop. Most of the time it doesn't amount to much and the core of these instrumentals seem to be washed with dense reverbs, auto tune and wavy synthetic sounds where only a few moments display genuine chemistry. In its moments of tolerance there's a barrage of shallow materialism, unemphatic attitudes and questionable morality in the lyricism that creates a rather disappointing feeling through its playtime. I'll probably tune back in from time to time but I don't think this one will grow on me.

Favorite Tracks: Through The Late Night, Beibs In The Trap, Sweet Sweet

Rating: 4/10

Navie D "Post EP" (2016)

Hailing from Toronto Canada, Navie D is a producer with a distinct, and to my ears, fresh take on Hip Hop instrumentals. "Post EP" is his second release and one with a consistent feel through the five tracks. It rolls at a slower pace with an emphasis on atmosphere and a less bombastic, more industrial take on percussion. The drum loops are programmed with a modern touch, shuffling hi hats show a subtle Trap influence but mostly the beats accommodate the surrounding music made of ambiguous sounds in a state of organic transformation. Its layered and stacked with minute details that blur the distinction between melody and rhythm as these songs progress to let singular moments of melody shine from within the dissonant shell.

Its an excellent execution of composition that has all sorts of creepy and eerie sounds drifting into the fold. You'll hear dogs barking, human voices malformed and chopped into the songs soundscape and on "NYC" a barrage of ghostly vocals pitch shifted, shuffled and thrown at the listener in a dizzying state. Some instruments and percussive noises have such an add tone I wouldn't be surprised to learn there were more voices at work in the mix. Its what gives this otherwise meaty and industrial construct an eerily organic and human vibe.

On paper it would seem like a dark and twisted experience but all that's at work is held on the lighter side of ambiguity. One feels like the observer of a strange curiosity unfolding without threat or worry. In between these peculiar unravelings moments of life occur as each track has its moment where an instrument can burst into life and illuminate the atmosphere with synthetic toned instruments playing bold melodies where the songs are normally devoid of something as distinct. On "Junkyard King" it takes the form of a ghetto whistle that manages to be as charming without playing a G-Funk vibe.

This short record really impressed me but it does make me wonder if a rapper could bring something more to it. Because the instrumentals are so distinct they are exciting and fresh but at the same time these instrumentals feel like they set the tone and leave a lot of room for something else to take the forefront. Either way this was a great listening experience.

Favorite Track: Junkyard King

Rating: 6/10

The Veldt "The Shocking Fuzz Of Your Electric Fur - The Drake Equation" (2016)

I picked up this short record after reading a rave review on this records "innovation" praising its inclusion of trap influenced drumming and dreamy ethereal overtones. I didn't really feel it and learning about the bands backstory added a lot of clarity as to why I didn't see eye to eye on this record. The Veldt have been inactive for almost two decades, they formed in the late 80s and their debut was released in the mid 90s at the tail end of the Shoegazing Dream Pop era. Their reunion and this record has an old sound brought back to life with modern percussive influences and a richer sound given the fidelity of present recording techniques.

The Shocking Fuzz is quite an inviting record, calm, serine and soulful, oozing synthesizers and bleeding guitars wash together in a haze of reverb for lead singer Daniel to drift into with soft, harmonious singing that's sleepy and calming in its authenticity. The walls of ethereal sound created in a typically shoe gazing fashion are distant, dense, mysterious and layered with details that swirl around, expanding and contracting with the music. The percussion varies in style from track to track and accommodates the wall of sound that blossoms in the track, as opposed to playing a key role in its direction.

Each track is a little inconsequential with no big arks of progression but singular moments that suspend the enigmatic sound of the dissonant guitars while they create expansive soundscapes with their rich and deep tone, best heard on "An It's You" where the guitars cut in and out of the track, rapidly transforming its depth and composition. With each listen the familiarity soaks away some of the charm and the singular nature of the tracks has them stagnating with a lack of events to spice up the setting. The talk of ethereal music mixed with Trap beats drew me too this record but their union here sparks nothing special, nor does it sound out of place. Its a short and solid record but nothing to get worked up about, just a chilled record for a certain mood.

Favorite Track: Token

Rating: 6/10

Schoolboy Q "Blank Face LP" (2016)

The "Black Face LP" is American rapper Schoolboy Q's forth full length and an ambitious one. Dark, mean and uncompromising Q brings a large group of producers together for a seventy two minute ride. Despite many banging beats, sharp production and musical creativity the albums stretch strolls through some weak points in the start and end. Between the psychedelic, laid back "Kno Ya Wrong" and the catchy, ghetto whistles of "Neva Change" a string of eight songs illuminate with strong verses, brilliant hooks and fleshed out production. Either side of these tracks things aren't as focused. The opening "TorcH" starts with a myriad of Q's voices over a warm bass guitar, with "Blank Face" the theme is returned to as if signaling the end of a lengthy listen. It winds down, fades out and is then followed by two more mediocre songs. Its nitpicking but as a whole these songs don't flow of one another well, the whole things feels a little disorganized.

The album gets rolling with two introductory tracks, slowly unfolding before Kanye West hops onto the albums first defining song "That Part". The mood is slow, dreary and gloomy. The hook plays over and over between broken down verses, Q stating his successes and the Independence of his "bitches". Then Kanye drops in with an unusual lively, contagious flow making timely use of his pitch and a squeaky "ugh" to add rhythmic gratification to his bizarre and unfocused verses. Its a big guest to have on and the song... Its memorable but maybe for just being different more so than banging. Another dark street song comes through "Groovy Tony" and another big name, Jadakiss, on the track. The song has a great break in the middle with violent vocal stabs and heightened drums, they transition into a powerful vocal moment before Q brings the track back.

And then a string of my favorite songs occur,  "Kno Ya Wrong" shifts through three organic, jazzy, psychedelic phases with a joyful sampling of Kool & The Gang's "Summer Madness". The constant tone shifting happens again as we dive into a ruthless gangster track with violent lyricism, dark groovy layered beats, machine hi hats and the sound of guns firing between the banging hook. Halfway through his verse Q hands the mic to Vince Staples who drops heavy verse that gets better with each line. Unsurprisingly we sway to a poppy, "accessible" tune with light trance synths and a sing along "dollar dollar be-als" hook, lots of great singing on this track.

"Dope Dealer" gets dark, really dark as Q paints an ugly picture of the gritty life doing the illegal to survive. The drums really bring the spacious, paranoid instrumental to life and its another killer hook. "John Muir" might be my favorite, something about this flow and beat reminds me of the 90s. "Big Body" jumps in as the albums romp track with the tightest beat, thudding bass pedals, slick claps and a melodic bell instead of hi-hats. Its crowned by a timely roll of hard and swift sub kicks. Tha Dogg Pound, friends of Snoop Dogg, also make a great feature. "Neva Change" gets a little pop once again with a friendly instrumental and brilliant vocals in the chorus, topped of by a G-Funk ghetto whistle its another subtle banger. And that's where the magic ends for me. the album strolls out with what feels like a pre-outro, "Black Thoughts" are spoken thoughts over an experimental instrumental reminiscent of DJ Shadow.

Production wise its fleshed out with many ideas. A lot of songs come with breaks, big variations and an organic sense of instrumentation. The records flow though is all over the place with a handful of distinctively different styles not meshing together well. The features were brilliant and Q was on the mark with his fiery flow, his words had bite and wasn't short of creativity when writing hooks. Its interesting because even the weaker tracks had something to offer, but in the grand scheme of things it just doesn't play well between some tracks. Very ambitious but unfocused, more like a compilation than album.

Favorite Tracks: Whateva U Want, Dope Dealer, John Muir, Big Body, Neva Change

Rating: 6/10

YG "Still Brazy" (2016)

Two years back Compton rapper YG dropped his debut "My Krazy Life" which stirred up rave reviews, solid sales and featured a lot of big names including Kendrick Lamar. That's as much as I know about YG, I have the record but never got around to listening to it and I probably would of passed on this one if it wasn't for the promise of G-Funk era beats, something Ive never heard enough of. Unfortunately these beats were the only side of this record I genuinely enjoyed, as It can often be with Rap the braggadocios, violent, misogynistic lyrics don't carry as much weight when its not to your taste.

YG's flow, tone, delivery, all decent and steady but the lack of substance and meaning in his words was disturbing, most of what made an impact did so for the wrong reasons but looking at the positives he does have the knack for a good hook and catchy lines however replacing your c's with b's only goes so far before feeling like a gimmick. There's a lot of features too, big names like Lil Wayne and Drake, none of the guests made much of an impression either but I''m stuck in the 90s still. Its the track "She Wish She Was" that really gripes me on this record. Such a sexist and hypocritical statement holding double standards for men and women, slating a women's behavior for things they would celebrate in other songs, calling her a bitch for being a groupie while flaunting sleeping around in other tracks... Its a ludicrous song, not a topic I haven't heard before but not with such a lack of moral consideration.

It made a mess of a slamming beat and "Still Breezy" is loaded with them. As I mentioned this album revives the G-Funk sound in style, keeping it fresh and relevant, allowing modern Trap beats to swim in out between the tracks, giving it a great flow converging two styles together. The Funk baselines pop in with texture and density, accompanied with piano chords and swirly ghetto synths at times feels right out of Doggy Style. In fact there's quite a few tracks that are very reminiscent of Dr.Dre, especially his use of minor key chords.

Beyond these thoughts I didn't get to deep into this record. Its got a great instrumental vibe but the lyrics mostly drifted in one ear and out the other. I can't end it without mentioning the track "FDT", fuck Donald Trump. The sentiment of the track is musing, its not often gangster rappers get political but in its simplicity there's an sentimental message of unity between gangs either side of the border. Not what you might expect to hear.

Favorite Tracks: Twist My Fingaz, Gimme Got Shot, FDT

Rating: 5/10

Zeal And Ardor "Devil Is Fine" (2016)

Here's a record that pays tribute to the times, the internet age, a treat to spoil yourself and indulge in something rather unimaginable two decades ago. Much like IGORRR's genre blender from hell fusing Breakbeat, Baroque and Black Metal, Zeal And Ardor throw us at the mercy of genre mixing that comes up all aces. Its core theme is rooted in a dark satanic tone fronted through the blues, or more accurately the vocal origins which originated from slave songs. You'll hear emotion bluesy, gospel singing that collides with ferocious Black Metal and zealous electronic melodies. There's even a short Trap banger in the mix, chop and screwing the vocals, throwing in light organs between the spacious grooving beats and fluttery sampling.

 Starting with the title track, call-respond singing chimes out, the clank of slave chains rattle to keep tempo and peaking the microphone it creates a stunning authenticity, although I'm fairly certain this is original, not lifted or sampled. Some grizzly distant guitars drift in and out, rumbling beneath with a groan. "In Ashes" has the menacing guitar grinding a string as eerie, morbid calls are sung. Then the pedals come crashing in and swing the song into full tilt. Whats fantastic here is how the drums take a temperate and structured raising and lowering of intensity rather than blasting out typical Metal drumming patterns.

"Children's Summon" gives light to a xylophone lead that features individually on "Sacriegium II & III" with a playful lullaby, full of carefree wonder, not far from the sort of melody you might expect to hear on an Izioq or C418 record. The song itself sets its tone after a brief blasting of instruments and screams, satanic chants reign out and before long it all amounts to a rampant onslaught of menacing Black Metal peaked by a chirpy xylophone. "Blood In The River" brings back the main theme and expands on its evil undertone with more Black Metal and rash screams.

No moment here feels without purpose or intent, although its a short listen at twenty four minutes it serves itself just fine and leaves me yearning for more with every listen. These songs have been on repeat, they are short and sweet but infectious. Charming, dreamy melodies, furious Black Metal and bluesy slave songs, a strange and enigmatic combination that does everything so right despite sounding like a calamity on paper. Completely in awe of this record, wanting, waiting for more.

Favorite Tracks:

Rating: 8/10

The Underachievers "It Happened In Flatbush" (2016)

I was very excited to see this record pop up in my inbox. The Underachievers are one of my favorite modern Hip Hop acts and their last full length "Evermore - The Art Of Duality" really made its mark on me. The first half of the two sided release is loaded with deep and meaningful messages about achieving in life and keeping on top of your goals. Its a record I frequently turn to when running and working out. Unfortunately "It Happened In Flatbush" isn't on that introspective wavelength and is stated as a "mixtape". Essentially a less focused and shorter release to tie fans over.

Initially this sounded fantastic. Tight spacey, dark beats and deep cutting baselines but a few tracks in the lyrics were tiring me. Gone is the insightful, thought provoking, life changing lyricism. In come the blow trading, braggadocios flaunt raps loaded with violence and threats. With much talk of gun play, settling rivalries and street warfare the mood is ripe for these dark atmospheric beats however Its not what Ive been in the mood for from the East Coast duo who won me over with their honest lyrics and positive attitudes. If the subject matter wasn't to my taste I couldn't deny their flows were pretty solid throughout and at times elevating with technical prowess. On the flip side there are a few singular rhyme flows cropping up with the word niggaz that gets nauseous repeating it over and over and over.

After a few banging beats at the start the album drifts into a continual setting of gritty, deep sub baselines grooving under spacious minimalist leads with flickering trap beats. With violent raps the atmosphere is tense and intimidating. With a lack of lyrical charm it simple wasn't my cup of tea and the most interesting thing beside the instrumentals were references to Master P and Silkk The Shocker of No Limit Records. Always fun to pick up on name dropping in Hip Hop.

Favorite Track: Al Capone

Rating: 4/10