Week 16

02/11/22

Freddie Gibbs - $oul $old $eparately

Freddie really did it again. SSS has a little bit of everything, from commercial to classic to unseen Freddie. The album does start off a little bit disjointed. I would say that the first five tracks sway between a few styles that Freddie is trying out. 'Pain & Strife' and 'Too Much' play with a trap-banger, commercial mood that sounds good, but are amongst the weakest cuts on the album. These are intermixed with songs containing an Alchemist beat and another with a smooth R&B feel. It seems like the album hasn't really figured itself out at this point. However, from track six onwards is near-perfection. Freddie really leans in to the concept of the album, that being the feeling of being in a lift of a luxury hotel. Most of the beats from here on are smooth and atmospheric, all in their own ways. The huge variety of producers used does not subtract from the coherence of these songs with the album theme. I loved this creative direction from Freddie and the imagination behind it; it's something I was not expecting. I do wish that this theme culminated in some grand reveal or had some sort of deeper message, which does not unfold. I like how the theme matches the feel of the album, but I guess I would give bonus points for another layer. Another welcome surprise was the level of vulnerability and openness in Freddie's lyrics. Alongside his usual fun wordplay and witty bars, he gives us real thought-provoking lyrics and hugely opens up about his past and present troubles. I loved hearing this from Freddie, as it made me see a side of him that I he had rarely exposed. This introspection over these curious, yet sultry beats make for a gorgeous listen. Pretty much all of the features hold their own on this project; nothing sounds too far out of place. This was a very different album for Freddie, but I love the direction he went in. He doesn't sacrifice substance and quality for replayability at all. This album has both.

Favourite songs: Lobster Omelette, Space Rabbit, Rabbit Vision, PYS, Dark Hearted, Gold Rings, Grandma's Stove, CIA

Score: 8.5/10

Boldy James & Nicholas Craven - Fair Exchange No Robbery

I don't know how Boldy James keeps releasing high-quality albums in abundance, but he somehow manages it. He opts to work with Nicholas Craven for this album, a producer I was not familiar with. The majority of beats on this album are drumless and centered around a gorgeous vocal sample, with simple instrumentation to back it up. A simple guitar plucked sample or saxophone melody, for example, works perfectly over these vocal chops. Anything smooth, relaxing or gleaming is well within Craven's ballpark. He does experiment with a few harder, drum-based beats on this project, but they don't sound as well executed as these other cuts. Boldy's signature flow (which you will be well-familiar with if you have been following this blog) meshes perfectly with this gentle style of production. Boldy has his usual standout bars and flows on this project, but nowhere near as much as with some of his previous works. I always enjoy listening to Boldy rapping, but there were only a few moments on this album that really hit me in terms of his lyricism and flows. Don't get me wrong, there are some genius lines on here, but fewer than I usually expect from Boldy. I hold him to a very high standard. I love the sound and feel of this album. Boldy's performance is really strong, but doesn't do quite enough for me to hold it to the standard of his strongest works.

Favourite songs: Straight & Tall, Stuck in Traffic, Scrabble, Town & Country, Monterey Jack, Designer Drugs

Score: 7.5/10

Maella - Slow Burn EP

Something a bit different here that I really wanted to showcase. It's a dark alternative-pop sound that is not something I have delved in to enough. ‘Tudu Tudu Tu’ (the first song) grew on me. I like the fun, punchy bassline with the cowbells adding an interesting variety to the beat. This is a more commercial-sounding song than the rest, and whilst it is very catchy, doesn’t really fit the vibe of the EP. It does make me wonder why just this one was not released as a single, when it probably would have worked the best in that setting. Then ‘Cabin Fever’ came in and absolutely blew me away. Her vocal range is stunning, especially during the soft high notes in the hook. The bassline is much grungier, but the deep sound mixes well to balance out (and works well with) the starry synths. The main beat coming in is beautiful. Adding the drums at the start was unexpected yet very impactful in teasing the drop. I can imagine a fantastic house remix of this tune. A real anthem. ‘Slow Burn’ is clever in employing the drop towards the end and ‘slow burning’ up to it. Variation in song structure is very important. The beat even teases to come in during the second hook but makes you wait to build anticipation. The beat is slow when it does come in, yet the hi-hats in the back of the mix maintain the pace. The synths enter after to create a spacy and dreamy atmosphere. The beat could have stayed in for a bit longer as it is still quite slow, but this is just me nit-picking. The focus in ‘Soil’ is definitely the lyrics. They are poetic and require some deciphering, which has been prevalent throughout the EP, but to a different level here. This time, it's the keys that drive home the beat. I like how a different instrument or sound is highest in the mix (for the beat) in each song. The horns were a nice, unexpected surprise here as well. The main core of these ‘beat drops’ are all similar: subdued vocals with a spacey atmosphere. But they are all slightly switched up, showing how much Maella values variety. The main issue in this record, for me, was sequencing of the songs. After multiple listens and further familiarity, this is not a big deal, but is important for a first listen. I don’t think that ‘Tudu Tudu Tu’ really fits amongst the other songs. ‘Cabin fever’ is the climax of the EP, so should go third or fourth. The final two songs are of similar pace, so ‘Cabin Fever’ should probably be in between them to break them up, or at the end to be built up to. Retaining engagement is not a big deal in a short EP like this, but in a longer project, this should be more considered. Generally, a very strong project that will be in my regular rotation.

Tion Wayne, Aitch - Let's Go

There is a huge wave right now of rappers sampling classic mid-2000s songs. Often there isn't huge creativity that goes in to the beat outside of the sample. This song feels different, however. It samples the huge hit 'Mrs. Officer' by Lil Wayne. I love the way the two rap with the beat (especially Aitch). Whether that's with them referencing the song in their bars or letting the sample finish off their lines, they interpolate the sample in a really clever way. Aside from this, the song is full of funny and witty bars. They have great chemistry, often exchanging a few lines each. At times, it sounds like a conversation that they are having. This is a really fun song that, I think, pays sound homage to the OG Wayne version.

Anderson .Paak, Knxwledge, H.E.R. - Where I Go

NxWorries are back! Anderson and Knxwledge link up again, this time with a fantastic H.E.R. feature. Anderson has stepped away from his Silk Sonic vibe and back on album Anderson mode! This honestly could have been plucked from any of his projects. He sounds really laid-back, which works so well over a similarly smooth instrumental. His singing in the hook sounds so effortlessly suave. The production sounds like it was plucked straight from a private beach in the sunshine. The coupled guitar chords add a lovely tropical vibe and an extra groove to an already beaming instrumental. The H.E.R. feature is short, yet perfectly placed. She seamlessly fits in to the vibe. She doesn't overwhelm and doesn't get brushed under the rug. A perfect feature, I just wish it was longer. This song won't blow you away, but that is far from the point. A whole album of this is exactly what we need right now, especially with the horrible standard of weather we're experiencing.