Showing posts with label Urban. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Urban. Show all posts

Thursday 3 February 2022

FKA Twigs "Caprisongs" (2022)

 

I'm unsure of where to start, my thoughts on Caprisongs are mostly negative. Coming of the back of the remarkable Magdalene, these seventeen songs feel like a departure from concept, a pivot to the casual that get by with its most memorable contributions coming from other artists. I always want to hear artists try new things, not living in the shadow of what they have mastered but that is never a guarantee of success.

Of course, all of this is highly subjective. My impression of Caprisongs is a socially oriented album, a collection of personal moments. The records pacing is sprinkled with interludes, snippets of conversations with friends and no sense of urgency as many of the numbers take meandering avenues with sparse percussion to move it along with ease. The instrumentals are breezy unions of dreamy synths and snappy, creative drum grooves. Occasionally a little disjointed and experimental they mostly steer towards the safer, trendy modern sounds that are easy to get along with.

In the past I remember much of Twiggs's singing going to traverse interesting places, both individually and with the utility of studio manipulation. On this record however, much of that is void. Her tone and temperament is still charming. The high pitched singing is gorgeous but mostly its tame in comparison. Tame is a word I'd associate with many of this tracks. There isn't a lot of momentum or structure that doesn't dissipate the energy as its often dreamy nature has the music dropping out of moods its barely begun on. Perhaps my expectation are blinding whats on offer.

Either way, I've given it a fair try, after plenty of spins It just doesn't leave an impression. The two moments I most enjoyed most was the collaboration with The Weeknd. The two bounce of eachother well and the song has direction with its kick snare groove guiding us through. The other interesting moment was a recycling of classic 90s lyrics by Olive, "you're not alone, I'll wait till the end of time" on Darjeeling. That sent me down a Ministry Of Sound rabbit hole of memories, which was fun!

Rating: 4/10

Tuesday 14 July 2020

Wiley "The Godfather 3" (2020)


Reigning in on the success of his Godfather record, UK Grime legend Wiley brings us the third chapter after a relatively disappointing second outing. Initially this third installment felt like a bloated beast, with over twenty tracks and at least as many features. Getting through many spins, two sides emerged, seemingly interlocked in one big project. As expected his prowess as a veteran is focused topic, further explored with more coherent raps on his status as an untouchable in the scene. Light Work stands out as an endearing track on his future. Laying out his plans to pave a path for his son to follow in his footsteps feels like a passing of the mic moment.

Between its topical songs a barrage of guest artists bring a helping variety of wild and overtly enthusiastic temperaments to the mic, often with the braggadocio street sharpness. Its a platform for him to give attention to other Grime artists who flair up with jagged flows and violent rhyme styles, vying for attention with typically biting, obnoxious bars. Its drenched in slang, deep accent emphasizing and catchy inflections. The track Starring is a keen example, bringing equally an obnoxious beat with its jabbing synths and gunshot lined drum loop alongside the features.

On the topic of instrumentals, the production is fine, Wiley has another arsenal of producers to load the album with variety in its typically crisp style with sharp and keen arrangements pulling a range of vibes, mostly leaning to the darker tone of the streets. Eskimo Dance stands out, on of many typically short three minute tracks but it burns through five or six, gritty beats rammed together. It's an attention grabber with absurd flows from another handful of guests, all jumping in with a sequence of short bars.

Its tracks like that and the aforementioned Light Work that make it a little disorienting in the long run as it swings back and forth between this showcase and Wiley's focused thought conveying verses with a few dips into the easier R&B territory. It certainly feels like two ideas have been mashed together but ultimately keeps things spicy and fresh with plenty of favorites to pick from the bunch. Ive read this was his last album, however Wiley has already put out another record since this, I may just give it a spin!

Favorite Tracks: Come Home, Eskimo Dance, Bars, Family, Bruce Wayne, Starring, Light Work
Rating: 7/10

Saturday 18 May 2019

Little Simz "Grey Area" (2019)


Every year I aim to find fresh artists, new releases and so far just a measly thirteen records. Despite me failing to get in a discovery groove, it has yielded some fantastic albums. The Goat, Woodland Rites, Empath & Kill The Sun, all contenders for top lists. Now to throw in another contender in the mix, Grey Area blew me away with just the first listen alone. My ritualistic listening has since convinced me Little Simz is a talent to behold and this is my first encounter. Its her third full length and she certainly sounds experienced on the mic. With a light, firm and steady flow, soft, flat toned voicing and sparkling lyrical creativity, I am reminded of one the greats, Rakim, in a roundabout way. Simz style stands on its own, a plain faced, spoken word calmness with an urban London charm ready to slip into slick rhyming grooves and swift flows as your lured in by her calmness. Its gorgeous and has some of the best rhymes Ive heard in sometime! "I'm a boss in a fudging dress!"

Her technical proficiency wont take long to perk your ears but whats equally earnest and engrossing is the topicality and self reflection. With her words she locks you in to situations, trains of thoughts and introspection with a vivid intensity that manifests in witty, expressive and cultural claps of rhyme that rock and rattle when she gets into a flow. She comes across as a genuine character with sincerity and authenticity in abundance. Some of these songs open a door into her life as an artist, struggling and working hard to succeed while dealing with life's stresses. Its not on an every track basis but just about each song has a pull. A little braggadocio and chest pumping comes into play on the albums slickest song Venom. Its on the flip side and her boisterous style is marvelous, flows swell with sharp, smart and damn right mean lyricism, its venomous. Ok that pun was just plain awful! XD

You'd be no fool to see how talented she is but behind the words, these instrumentals pulled together are fresh, fun, classy and right on point for setting the tone. It kicks of from Offense with an Indie feeling executed with a Jazz Rock flair. The beats are stripped back, the instruments have a live feel, high fidelity and its not until the third song that a more traditional Jazz Hop vibe. Its peaked with beautiful singing from Cleo Sol. The production is utterly sweet, Grey Area is a short, compact and tight record that churns through its ten tracks with a variety of defined vibes that all sound purposeful. The chemistry is fire, I still jet through its thirty five minutes feeling flabbergasted. This is a example case of quality over quantity. There isn't a moment wasted on this superb record, I'm still engrossed within it but had to write!

Favorite Tracks: Boss, Selfish, Venom, Therapy
Rating: 9/10

Thursday 28 September 2017

Wiley "Godfather" (2017)


 Grime continues to grow bigger and I'm short of excuses, its about time I dived into another artist besides Dizzee Rascal and what a place to start! Its veteran Grime MC Wiley's eleventh album since his debut back in 2004 and Godfather is clearly the product of a master at work. At thirty eight years old Wiley brings a heavyweight of experience and craft to his rhymes, elevating the style beyond the street swagger and dialectic eccentricity Grime MC's rely on to a place of true substance. There's barely a word wasted across fifty four minutes of filthy banging beats and beefed up energetic raps with plenty to say.

Wiley's voice dominates the record with the sharpest flow and wit but he also brings over a dozen friends to feature on the tracks creating a wealth of variety as they handle some of the hooks and choruses too. Everyone brings their best and the same can be said of the instrumental production, lively, loud obnoxious beats with groove and attitude command your attention. The album vibes on dark and grizzly atmospheres with violent, menacing beats echoing the sound of London's streets. Slick mafioso strings rub up against dirty buzzing baselines and gunshots litter the gaps between sturdy, crisp, hard hitting kits that lay down tight patterns to anchor the rhymes and instruments together on the same wavelength.

Its one banging track after the next, the foot is never let of the gas and Wiley's sharp, concise flows make it easy to follow his train of thought as he slides in plenty of technically gifted trickery, sliding in bursts of double tempo words. Between the boisterous status affirming stances loaded with smart word play a couple of remarkable messages emerge, the story of the come up plays on "Speakerbox" stating the struggle origin artists like Wiley went through to make Grime happen and set the stage for future generations who can now do this without help from record labels. "Laptop" tells a more personal story of the hard work and grind centered around the love of making music on his MacBook.

Godfather scratched itches that modern Hip Hop hasn't come close to in recent memory bar Kendrick Lamar. Although the album is strictly Grime, "U Were Always Great" has a fantastic instrumental reminiscent of Jazz Hop summer time chill outs. Its all positives although a fairly predictable streak of materialism runs through on tracks like "Name Brand" given the fashion culture around the scene. The track "Bang" plays with fire as guest MC Ghetts goes spitting with an overtly aggressive tone that avoids being to much to bare. The strong instrumental holds it together and I'm left walking away from this one itching for more. The question is what Grime record should I pickup next?

Rating: 8/10
Favorite Tracks: Bring Them All, Joe Bloggs, Bang, U Were Always Part 2,

Wednesday 14 December 2016

Chance The Rapper "Coloring Book" (2016)


I still can't get get my head around the difference between a mixtape and an album. Of the ones Ive listened to, a mixtape feels like an album. This one is true of that at fifty seven minutes in length with a theme and sense of continuity at start and end. With all the critical acclaim "Coloring Book" has received it seemed like a good time to check out a fresh face from the new generation of Hip Hop music. Chance is from Chicago and yet to release a debut record with this being his third mixtape, it has broken into sales charts and topped album of the year lists from various critics. Of the months Ive been listening to it I haven't shared much of the same feelings, however it does have some remarkable production moments sprinkled in.

Since "To Pimp A Butterfly" many artists have been retroflexing on the roots of black music and so we enter a sort of Hip Hop Renaissance as many mainstream artists seem jump on this wave of revival. Already having a keen ear for Soul, R&B, Gospel and Jazz, a lot of the sounds and vibes explored aren't particularly fresh to me, its a mixed bag of fruits. To new listeners its probably quite marvelous. Chance employs a production where the beats are toned down, subdued, as pianos, strings and gospel vocals step to the forefront around his raps. In the mid section of the record it steadily gives way to more traditional tracks and that's when the music starts to loose me, not to be pulled back at the end by some great church music.

Chance's flow is laid back, easy going and casual, to the point where his soft croaky voice sounds like he may just be talking if it weren't for the steady timing and occasional rhymes. Not much of it hit home beyond the story telling, biblical "praise him" tracks don't do it for me. The album also has its helping of "to be dated" trendy vocal styles and word slurring that I'm doubting will hold up over time. Songs like "Finish Line Drown" are fantastic but essentially like gospel church songs of praise, played with a full live band and spiced up with a bit of flashy production. It and a lot of the record remind me of Kanye's debut records, there is a lot of use of vocals with a helping hand from the Chicago Children's Choir it plugs into those gospel roots. "Coloring Book" has its moments but it mostly comes from borrowing rather than innovating.

Favorite Tracks: No Problem, Summer Friends, Finish Line Down.
Rating: 5/10

Thursday 21 August 2014

A.C. "Prophecy For Profit" (2011)


I was standing outside a venue with friends, waiting for Public Enemy when A.C. approached me and my friends asking if we wanted to buy his CD. I was pretty reluctant after having brought some awful records from MCs at gigs before, but he was persistent and sold us a CD for next to nothing. The next day i remembered about this, put the CD on and was genuinely blown away. 

The UK hip hop scene has a vastly different sound and approach to the states where hip hop originated, and its a sound i have never strongly gravitated to. With this record A.C. has taken the raw style of a British MCing and found a balance with Dead Man Walkings sample heavy 90s-esque beats. The result is genuinely impressive, a unique British hip hop sound not far from the golden era.

Between the sound there is plenty of substance, DMW delivers plenty of memorable beats to accompany A.C.s social-political commentary and memorable lines. This record is fantastic but as a whole there are a few week tracks, but the good ones shine like stars. Id also recommend checking out the video to "Sometimes I Wonder" its filmed on his camera phone, kind of impressive in its practicality.

Favorite Songs: Real Grafters, Sometimes I Wonder, Allow That, Music Ain't The Revolution
Rating 7/10