Week 9

 24/02/22

Hello all, I am aware that it has been a while. There has not been a ton of new releases, but I have listened to a few albums (old and new) over the last few weeks in the hip-hop/R&B genre. More regular updates will come, but for now...

SiR - Chasing Summer

I had been meaning to check out this album for so long, and I am very glad that it finally happened. I will admit that I had heard 'Hair Down' and 'You Can't Save Me' long before I listened to this project in full. But these two songs set a high precedent for the album, with the former being a great chill summery track, constituting of a strong Kendrick verse. And the latter is genuinely one of my favourite songs of all time, so we had a decent start even before tapping in. I will say this, the album lives up to its title perfectly. I listened to this on a train in midwinter, and I was definitely left 'chasing summer' as that is precisely the vibe that it exerts. It feels like walking down a beachfront in an open linen shirt with brand new sunglasses and a fresh trim. It's very easy to just float off to this album, which is fine. But, if you actually take the time to listen to the lyrics, a great deal of the project is extremely profound. SiR touches on self-improvement, love complications, and fluctuating mental states. He's a great songwriter, as well as a fantastic vocalist. His voice is just perfect for this mellow, chilled vibe that the instrumentals lay out. The features are mostly strong and fit in well to the intended sound (sorry Weezy, you don't quite make the cut). Listening to the album as a whole is an easy-going and an enjoyable ride. But, you do really need to pay attention to single out particular songs that make this album so good as a few of can just go over your head or blend together, which I think is this album's only downfall. There aren't quite enough 'moments' on this album. I do recognise, however, that this is not entirely the point of the project and I can appreciate this. It just prevents it from reaching the upper upper tiers of quality. Nevertheless, any album that features a song that is anywhere near the quality of 'You Can't Save Me' is automatically excellent.

Favourite songs: Hair Down, John Redcorn, You Can't Save Me, New Sky, That's Why I Love You, Still Blue, Mood

Score: 8.5/10

Sampha - Process 

The one thing that puts Sampha in a lane of his own is his originality. This album sounds like no other that I've ever heard. I can't put it in a specific genre, but it's kind of like a modern soul-inspired R&B-wave project, if I had to try. There's a reason why this album won the Mercury Music Prize in 2017. Short, featureless, and varied. The great thing about creating your own genre is that there is endless 'wiggle-room' in the style of music that can be employed. Sampha exerts this virtue to the max with slower songs like 'Like the Piano' juxtaposing punchier songs like 'Blood On Me', whilst ensuring that neither sound out of place. He dives into various topics, such as grief, regret, and hope. This is all done over instrumentals that will have your head spinning as it is often tough to decipher what is exactly going on. Sometimes, there is too much of this and it distracts from the lyrics or message of the song. However, most of this is intentional in creating his unique sound. Also, I would not be doing this review justice if I did not mention how absurdly impressive his voice is. This, again, sounds like no one else and even his vocal inflections are completely unique. I will admit, some of the songs don't quite have enough 'kick' to them to warrant repeated listens. A few of the other songs stand out as ones to listen to on any occasion. Not all of the tracks have this feel. However, as a cohesive body of work, I would highly recommend this album, and be prepared.

Favourite songs: Plastic 100C, Blood On Me, Like the Piano, Reverse Faults, Under

Score: 8.5/10

Benny The Butcher - Tana Talk 4

Benny is back into the typical 'Griselda-style' lane with a new Tana Talk edition. Firstly, 'Johnny P's Caddy' is one of the best songs released this year, featuring J Cole's best EVER feature verse (yeah I said it, sue me). So, the album starts well. The album as a whole has excellent production by Alchemist and Daringer. Some tracks are more complex than others in terms of beats, but all tend to their desired effect of providing a grimy background for Benny to spit over. This isn't the case on 'Super Plug', where the beat steals the show. But, it's that good that I still love the track (and the hook is killer). Alchemist beats just get in to your skin differently. Benny's lyrics are back to being predominately dope and streets-based, which I do not mind as this is really what he does best. There are sprinkles of introspection, like what he did on 'Burden of Proof', but to a lesser extent. I love his verse on 'Guerrero' where he just lists loads of his biggest songs whilst incorporating the titles into his scheme. That was really cool. Boldy James' feature is another highlight, basically rhyming his whole verse MF DOOM-style. I did find, however, that there was not enough of these stand-out moments on the album. Most of the features, whilst they fit well, did not really add much to the overall feel of the project. The hooks, in general, aren't that attention-grabbing. It is also very easy to get caught up in the vibe of the project towards the end and not pay attention as you know that you won't be missing much lyrics-wise (as the content is generally consistent). This may be a little unfair to Benny, as he knows his lane and executes it better than most. I just think that I was expecting a bit more due to how amazing some of his recent projects were - I hold him to a higher standard than most. 

Favourite songs: Johnny P's Caddy, Super Plug, Weekends In The Perry's, 10 More Commandments, Guerrero 

Score: 7.5/10

Jack Harlow - Nail Tech

Jack is claiming that he's the best of the new school, and he might be right. I see so much potential in this guy. He has great flows, clever imagery and symbolism, and knows how to work a beat. The first verse on this track is really good. It has some witty and smart one-liners that really pull you in, often being very relatable whilst also reminding listeners that he lives luxuriously. Unfortunately, it is the latter that prevails in the second verse and he ends up not actually saying a great deal. He switches up the flow in the second verse and it actually sounds very good, which is the main attraction of most of the new school rappers. He's got the listenable, engaging sound down to a key and always has done. The bridge/pre-chorus is one of the strongest parts of the song. It just sounds really good and is very easy to belt out when listening to it. The hook pays homage to Waka Flocka Flame and, whilst it isn't my favourite part of the song, is still pretty hard. I'm not sure it really fits the vibe of the song, however. The instrumental is quite repetitive and very 'Industry Baby' sounding, but is still cool, nonetheless. This is a good track and may have converted me in to a proper Jack Harlow fan.