HONOURABLE MENTION) Meek Mill – Dreams and Nightmares
Meek Mill's debut album follows a
familiar – and rather frustrating – pattern comprising of trap beats and more
soulful tunes, well executed lyrics and moments of extreme tastelessness,
something which could possibly be branded the „MMG Concept“.
The intro adequately encapsulates
the purported concept of the album, the dichotomy of dreams and nightmares;
from there onwards, however, Meek's more successful in depicting everything
gloomy. The 'dream' aspects come across as generic and dull most of the time
(that said, in both music and literature, good always seems to be more
difficult to portray in a manner which does it justice, a point well
demonstrated by Liszt's Faust-Symphony
in my opinion). Of the more serious stuff, Traumatized
is a highlight, as a fiery Meek promises demise for the slayer of his father. Maybach Curtains is a rare occasion
where a happier song is enjoyable, a lush musical backdrop and a Nas guest
verse helping elevate the track.
Ultimately, the album is a decent
first step by Mill, but he still faces a long battle against mediocrity and
occasional lack of character if he’s to make a name for himself. Meek yells his
way through sixteen bars after sixteen bars; the album screams for more quality
control and a better realised concept.
50) Styles P – The World's Most Hardest
MC Project
The World's Most Hardest MC Project (that's quite the name!) is
Styles' fifth solo album. It arrives a year after Master of Ceremonies; the two projects have a fair bit in common.
The similarities: both are short.
Both feature the typical street talk and gangster posturing of old. Both manage
to be worthwhile despite of what was said in the last sentence, courtesy of
conventional yet fresh production and a veteran MC using his skills to instill
a touch of quality into commonplace themes. Styles is calm, cool and collected
throughout, with the Intro hinting that the project opts for a slightly
humorous edge (in that the braggadocio can be somewhat tongue-in-cheek). The
beats make use of echoes and piano samples, for example, creating a slightly
murky atmosphere.
Once again, this is one of those
projects about which there is not much to be said; rather, one should simply go
ahead and give it a listen.
49) Chaundon – The Jammington
I must admit to never having
heard of Chaundon until only recently, after stumbling upon this album of his
at random. A lucky accident, to express myself bluntly! Here goes nothing.
One thing I found about Chaundon
is that he's a Little Brother affiliate. That certainly reflects in the album's
character, as soulful beats give birth to a vibe 9th Wonder would be proud of.
Chaundon equips a smooth flow (so as to match the beats) and proceeds to make
his way through the tracks with some being more commonplace braggadocio and
some having an emphasis on storytelling. His charisma and energy makes the
album, short as it is (clocking in at a mere 27 minutes!), sound like a
delightful swift flurry of soulful joviality.
48) Reks – Straight, No Chaser
After releasing Rhythmatic Eternal King Supreme (in all honesty,
hip-hop has been witness to worse acronyms), Reks carries on an active bout by
releasing two albums in 2012, the first of which is Straight, No Chaser, a collaboration with Statik Selektah behind
the boards.
Selektah has recently caught some
(justified) flak for his „quantity-over-quality“ methods, but his beats are on
point here – a mishmash of vocal samples, boom-bap-ish drums, horn, piano and
bass loops, all adding up to a New York-esque dusty atmosphere. The album finds
Reks in a contemplative mood as he touches on topics such as the rags-to-riches
tale, political issues and parenthood, with some braggadocio being thrown in
just in case. The locations of the stories told vary from the cradle to the
grave, from the sphere of the streets to the confines of a confession booth.
In recent times, Reks has
established himself as a consistent wordsmith in the classic East Coast mould; Straight, No Chaser continues that
trend.
47) Large Professor – Professor @ Large
After being near invisible for a
few years, Large Pro returns with his fourth solo album. The Professor does not
bother himself with experiments, rather opting for a formula he perfected about
two decades ago.
This is reflected in both the
sonic and lyrical aspect of the album: The sample-heavy, groovy beats often
sound like they've arrived via a time machine straight out of 1994; the samples
either are familiar, or they at least
sound familiar, bearing that soulful-slash-jazzy
flavour. Extra P is in confident mode throughout, as the ever-present heaps of
braggadocio-laden punchlines reflect. He's mostly concerned with preserving the
integrity and vitality of the boom-bap era and sound. The guests are also, by
and large, veterans: it is a pleasure to hear Busta Rhymes on a good beat after
a long while, as he brings his raucous machine gun flow to the table on Straight from the Golden. Lil’ Fame of
M.O.P., Cormega and two more recent breakthroughs, Roc Marciano and Action
Bronson, also step by among others to help make this quite the roundtable.
A confident, vintage album that's
seemingly devoid of any innovation and proudly so (in a positive way!), Professor @ Large is precisely the kind
of album a veteran can afford to make: a solid summary of his characteristics
and strengths.
46) Macklemore & Ryan Lewis – The
Heist
In recent times, emcees who break
through either close to or slightly past their 30th birthday seem to be an
increasing trend: Freddie Gibbs. Roc Marciano. Action Bronson. So forth. The
Seattle-born Macklemore joins the club in 2012.
An independent artist's path
towards success is a long, winding and rocky one; as a result, Macklemore is
not exactly short on subject matter. Through the course of the album, he
tackles subjects such as alcoholism (on Neon
Cathedral, he likens the denizens of pubs and bars to a religious parish
in), the time and effort required for an artist to break through, gay rights, he
advocates all kinds of relativism, elaborates on materialism and, for example,
how it influenced his fixation with shoes at some point in his life and brings
up second-hand garments as a financially shrewd example of overcoming
materialistic folly. Black Hippy members Schoolboy Q and Ab-Soul drop by, the
former featuring on a Cadillac-embracing track and the latter being present on Jimmy Iovine, a song elaborating on the
grim reality of record labels. Ryan Lewis' production is, for the lack of a
better word, alright, though on occasion it's stale and lifeless (the corny
train wreck of a song that is Cowboy
Boots is the best example).
With some clear weak points, such
as the hooks – a problem present nearly everywhere in the rap world - often
being a weak point and some more moments of questionable taste, The Heist is not perfect by any means,
but the strong points outweigh the weak ones and make up a strong debut album
rich in substance.
45) Reks – REBELutionary
REBELutionary, Reks'
collaboration with Numonics, is the fiercer one of his two albums released in
2012. The focus is on social critique, with the education system being one of
the targets. Shotgun featuring the up-and-coming Jon Connor is a highlight.
44) The Game – Jesus Piece
Starting with LAX, The Game has been artistically
adrift, so to say. He's a capable rapper, he picks a lot of good beats, however
his songs often descend into aimless cliché-laden namedropping marathons. With Jesus Piece, we've more of the same.
Apparently, Jesus Piece is a concept album, symbolising how Game can be both a
„champagne-poppin’ thug“ and a „religious hoodrat“ simultaneously. All that is
extremely lovely, but for the most of the time, the song titles are the ONLY
thing hinting towards a concept. The tasteless moments have been taken to
extremes on occasion. An example of this is the title track, where the Game
decides to devote himself to perfecting the „HAAAAAAAAANH“ shout so as to
compensate the fact that Kanye's „feature“ consists of approximately seven words.
The purportedly amusing interlude at the end of Church is the epitome of facepalm-worthiness. As said before,
though, the production is Game's redemption here, as are the features: Jesus Piece is saved by a delicate,
violin-driven background and a Common verse; J. Cole and Kendrick Lamar live up
to their potential, Rick Ross and 2 Chainz deliver OK verses. There is the
flipside as well: I Remember is
another extremely trite track, with the genocidally awful hook by Future being
the final nail in the coffin.
All in all, Jesus Piece is as patchwork an album as one could be: greatness
mixed with moments of sheer misery balance each other out, resulting in an
album that lies somewhere in the middle.
43) The Alchemist – Russian Roulette
The Alchemist has had a busy year
which has had him pass dope beats left, right and centre, do collaborative
projects, thus definitely staking his claim for Prolific Producer of the Year.
On top of all this, he's also dropped Russian
Roulette.
The sound is largely what one would
expect of a project by Alchemist: mesmerising sample-based grooves in the
flavour of the 60s and 70s, vocal samples, ethereal echoes, etc, with a slight
Russian vibe added this time around. The structure is unique for Alchemist
though: it's a Madlib-esque work of sorts, consisting of short vignettes – the
longest track is 2:37 in length -, some lyrical, some instrumental, which segue
from one into another. He enlists guests from both the East and the West, such
as Fashawn, Evidence and Schoolboy Q on one hand and Roc Marciano, Action
Bronson and Mr. Muthafuckin' eXquire. Whereas most verses hover around without
utilising any unique lyrical themes, eXquire has a standout verse on The Explanation, where he incorporates
the phone call scene from Biggie's Warning
and elaborates on an extraterrestrial experience.
Russian Roulette is a somewhat unorthodox – and delightful! - piece of the puzzle that is Alchemist's
discography; it can be recommended for both long-time fans and people who
appreciate New York production in general.
42) Oddisee – People Hear What They See
Oddisee hails from Washington DC
and is a rapper-producer, another one competent on both fronts. People Hear What They See is his debut
LP.
As he states on the starting
track („They say you've got your whole life to make your first album/Guess I’ve
been busy living...“), he's a sincere emcee who raps about what he's
encountered, no hubris, no gimmicks, no bullshit. Aside from his sincerity, Oddisee
also sports an unorthodox flow and possesses plenty of wittiness, which allows
him to successfully deliver on all the songs, regardless of the subject. On
some he talks about his own path, his relationship issues, his career as an
artist (he asserts that persistence pays off and advocates the importance of
staying true to your goals, but also notes the importance of taking some time
off every once in a while), friends and enemies, but also larger-scale topics:
he points out how both in the States and elsewhere, money plagues people's
consciousness („We assess success like herbivores/More green..“). His
production is layered, with ominous sounding brass, serene string loops,
booming bass, jazzy keys all popping up every once in a while. With this album,
Oddissee certainly claims his spot as one of DC's most creative wordsmiths.
41) Azealia Banks – Fantasea
In late 2011, Banks' 212
became a massive song almost overnight. The single was followed by the 1991 EP, which in turn is followed by Fantasea, her debut mixtape.
While she showcases her rapid-fire delivery and charismatic
in-your-face attitude throughout, some tracks stand head and shoulders above
others. Styles P drops by on Nathan,
a track destined for rotation in the whip; Jumanji
is also nothing short of beastly. The pick of the bunch, however, is Esta Noche, which, much like 212, showcases different shades of her
style in dynamic fashion, alternating between dreamy and devilish. This house-
and rave-influenced project makes a move towards establishing witch-hop as a
distinct subgenre; 2013 looks set to follow through on that promise.
40) Lushlife – Plateau Vision
Lushlife, who hails from
Philadelphia, is a man of many talents: a producer, a rapper and a
multi-instrumentalist. The wide scope of his interests is reflected in his
music. He's an expert crafter of dreamy eclectic beats that bear a tinge of
psychedelia, of jazz, of electronica. Albeit not lacking technical prowess, his
lyrics are fairly commonplace: tales of his hometown, some romantic phrases
thrown about, good old hip-hop, various artists who influenced him (Joy
Division and Large Professor are mentioned). As the last two topics imply,
nostalgia is a dominant theme throughout: even a Satie piece – featuring the
Canadian MC Shad - gets reworked here! On Hale-Bopp
Was the Bedouins, he teams up with fellow Indian-American Heems of Das
Racist fame.
All in all, Plateau Vision is a gorgeous sophomore album with the production
being the strongest aspect. Recommended to boom-bap aficionados and everyone
who appreciates ethereal hip-hop production.
39) Joey Bada$$ - 1999
It's a common occurrence to see
the boom-bap style still being practiced by emcees who hail from the period;
the Pro Era, and Joey Bada$$, their
leading figure, differ in the aspect
that they were born around the time when albums like Illmatic and Enta da Stage were released.
17-year old Joey Bada$$ goes to
show that age and talent do not go hand in hand; over vivacious, soulful
productions that point towards the past without turning into tacky imitations,
he lays down multisyllabic and otherwise technically adept lines. He reminisces
about the past, talks about his life, the life and times of his kin, of his
neighbourhood and so forth. Braggadocio and waving the flag of boom-bap is also
common, understandably. The tape ends with a 12-minute posse cut, a tradition
New York through and through. 1999
demonstrates that Joey and the Pro Era are well worth keeping an eye on. No
gimmicks, pure, soulful hip-hop.
38) The Coup – Sorry to Bother You
Boots Riley's lyrics often pack
the punch of a John Arne Riise free kick. This remains the case with Sorry to Bother You, the Coup's sixth
LP.
Riley's lyrics are often poetic,
often vitriolic, often cryptic, often more than one of these at a time. Strange Arithmetic is an interesting
take on the school system, showcasing its disregard for a variety of more
delicate (and important) issues, as well as the intention to raise generations
of obedient, non-thinking workers in the another-brick-in-the-wall mould („they
will never show the line between the takers and givers“). All of the songs
depict various issues in the States; Your
Parents' Cocaine, for example, refers to the power financial affluency can
garner. The Occupy movement, something Riley's been involved with, is also
mentioned; on Long Island Iced Tea, Neat,
he speaks of his admiration for the movement and the joy of seeing people unite
for a common cause. On WAVIP, The
Coup team up with Das Racist and Killer Mike, and – this is how I interpreted
it anyway -, use a nightclub as an allegory for the U.S.
The serious content is drenched
in satire and theatricality, as a result of which Sorry to Bother You avoids being a preachy, tedious album and
instead comes across like an eccentric hood operetta of sorts. If Tom Waits is
into funk and hip-hop, I could imagine him appreciating this.
37) Stalley – Savage Journey to the
American Dream
Rick Ross has gone for potential
above everything else when building up the roster of MMG; one of the lads on
the up is Stalley. Savage Journey is the first project the bearded ex-basketballer has
made during his time in the MMG Ranks.
It's another one so-called concept
mixtape, an enjoyable occurrence. As the title implies, one can detect the
influence of Hunter S. Thompson and his work here, the great man is mentioned
in the rhymes on occasion and his voice can also be heard on the project. The
concept strives towards depicting the chase of the American Dream, so the title
is an adequate one. Production is on point – it's surprisingly consistent for a
MMG project -, starting with the slightly mystical-sounding title track, where
Stalley lays down rhymes with devotion. Thence onwards it changes its
character as it progresses – there are Hammond-grooves, synth-driven tracks and
else. Stalley maintains a strong lyrical level throughout the voyage, Curren$y
and Rick Ross do solid guest appearances. A pretty strong project.
36) Action Bronson – Blue Chips
Rap music's most beloved
bald-headed-red-bearded-obese-culinary-education-possessing-Albanian returns
with Blue Chips. It’s a funky trip filled with loads of kitchen-related
commentary, promiscuous female characters among everything else, all delivered
through the humorous vernacular of Action Bronson. Oh, I almost forgot, Mary
Jane also gets mentioned by the bucketloads. The production harks back towards
the New York of the 90s and it provides a fitting foil for Bronson’s flow. Roc
Marciano and Meyhem Lauren also stop by. Bon appetit.
35) Brother Ali – Mourning in America
& Dreaming in Colour
Brother Ali is known for
emphasising message; this is, above all, the focal point of his body of work
(well, it sounds dope as well, of course). This album is no different.
Ali kicks it off with the
poignant Letter to My Countrymen,
featuring a spoken word feature by Dr. Cornel West. Most of the time he's
talking about issues without necessarily pointing fingers at anyone, a commendable
trait. The songs take a delicate tone most of the time; Mourning in America, however, is one moment where the sounds are
draped in a darker cloth, as Ali drops vicious rhymes commenting on poverty
looming loose in America and that instead of solving these, the country focuses
its attention on pillaging and looting foreign lands. Need a Knot is an interesting one, as it paints illusions of
certain professions, then turns everything on its head with the last line of
each verse. Jake One deserves much credit,
as he's responsible for the album's production in all of its variety.
All in all, Ali delivers another
album of solid message music, backed by beats worthy of the same adjective.
34) Lupe Fiasco – Food & Liquor II:
The Great American Rap Album Pt. 1
Coming off the heels of the
absolute fiasco that was Lasers, F&L2TGARAP1 was expected to be
Lupe's return to form, ever more so because the title implies it being the
sequel to his magnificent debut. It kind of is...and it kind of isn't.
Lupe elaborates on the U.S., its
past, present and future, mostly focusing on social critique, covering
subjects such as poverty, slavery, the decline of all moral values in a
materialistic society where money is the be-all and end-all, the bad impact of media,
the ecological footprint and so forth. The subjects are weighty, but Lupe
confronts them successfully, owing to his strong lyrical (the third verse of Unforgivable Youth serves as a fine
example of an unique approach to making a statement) and technical skills. The
production is primarily an array of synth-driven beats with some being good,
some less so. The Achilles' heel of this album, though, is the hook department,
as a flock of bubblegum-sounding poppy choruses do their best to undermine the
album's seriousness and overall quality. They don't manage to burn down the
entire house, but leave a blemish on the listening experience regardless.
All in all, Lupe Fiasco's fourth
album is definitely an improvement on the one preceding it. If Lupe's ever to
reach the heights of the original Food
& Liquor, though, he must find production worthy of the lyrical side.
33) Rick Ross – God Forgives, I Don’t
After Rick Ross proved he can
make a really strong album with Teflon
Don, there came tales of the follow-up, titled God Forgives, I Don't, being „a dark, grandiose mafioso rap
classic“ and „the album that's going to cement his place among legends“.
What ultimately arrived, though,
was a step back from Teflon Don: a
patchwork album with very notable highs and lows. The low points on GFID owe to dreadful lyrics, cheesy
R&B cuts and tacky trap tracks. Where Ross opts for soulful flavour, things
get better, though some songs could have been much better (such as 3 Kings, which features three shockingly
weak verses by Jay-Z, Dre and Ross respectively, also Diced Pineapples, which suffers from a tasteless attempt at
poeticness by Wale). The album also has some brilliant moments. Where „3 Kings“
fail, André 3000 lives up to his status as he delivers a performance fit for a
duke, a king, and an emperor combined with a gargantuan verse that could well
be verse of the year on Sixteen. Triple Beam Dreams is perhaps the best
example of the album's potential being fulfilled, as it has a standout verse
from the featuring Nas plus a majestic, slightly eerie instrumental with
strings added for some extra tension, all adding up to a bona fide mafioso rap
opus.
All in all, it's somewhat ironic
that, given Ross' reputation as a gourmand, the album fails to deliver
primarily because of bad taste, as a „dark and cinematic opus“ turned out to be
a patchwork release that’s hampered by tales of empty fridges, cheesecake and
fancy machinery. It's a decent album, but one that falls country miles short of
being a classic.
32) Blu & Exile – Give Me My
Flowers While I Can Still Smell Them
When Below the Heavens dropped in 2007, Blu seemed to be destined for
greatness, as that album was a brilliant listen both on the lyrical and musical
front. What's happened in the mean time is that Blu's delivered a horde of
eccentric releases with varying quality, so the news that he and Exile were to
drop another collaborative album was greeted warmly by many a listener.
The sophomore effort isn't
exactly brimming with any... artistic restlessness as such. This is not
necessarily a flaw, as the album is extremely enjoyable throughout, Blu is
lyrically on the top of his game, Exile the monarch of the boards. Blu's lyrics
range from conversational to insightful, though all topics are presented with
an effortless flow, which shifts the attention over to the beats. This is not
bad at all, as Exile's beats – most have a jazzy or bossa nova'ish vibe here –
are simply drop-dead gorgeous. More than anything, GMMFWICSST (now that's an acronym!) is a triumph of aesthetics.
31) G.O.O.D. Music – Cruel Summer
A compilation album by Kanye and
his eclectic crew of henchmen? Artistic, pompous, grandiose, commercial music
with a midas touch? Promising! However, the compilation – titled Cruel Summer –
doesn't really reach the heights one could hope after the likes of My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy and Watch the Throne.
A lot of the elements present in
other recent works by West still exist here – the glossy sound, beat changes
here and there, the themes are also roughly the same. However, one change is
the occurence of poor taste: this is the reason for some of the failures. To the World, the opener, is perhaps the
best example: a generic background, a tasteless, auto-tuned vocal contribution
by R. Kelly, and, to top it all off, Kanye quoting one of Rick Ross’ worst ever
songs. Proceed to the next song and you'll witness the other side of the coin:
Hit-Boy brings his A-game with a hard-hitting instrumental, Kanye and Jay-Z are
in fine form, Big Sean pretty much manages to keep up. All this adds up to a
great example of how good commercial music can be. This sums up the character
of the album: some songs work, some don't.
All in all, the high points and
low points on CS add up to a decent
final product, but one that could've been a lot better, had the pieces of the
puzzle been assembled with more care. Also, the absence of Mos Def, Q-Tip and
Common (the latter of the three was the only one involved, contributing one
verse) is peculiar, although in the light of talk about Cruel Winter it's starting to make more sense.
30) MellowHype – Numbers
After the pleasantly disturbing 64, one would have expected MellowHype
to tread eerie-grimy-gloomy path all the way, but that's not quite the case.
Much of the album rather finds
Hodgy and Left Brain creating a vibe that is as much hazy and relaxed as it is
tense. Hodgy's technique is still good – as previously – but he's improved
lyrically. Common themes include the Wolf Gang's breakthrough, undying love for
the green goddess that is marijuana, music being a form of escapism, basically
all that Hodgy's encountered in his life and travels. 2012 has also been big
for Left Brain, who is improving leaps and bounds, incorporating various
different sounds into his musical palette. Instead of further increasing their
griminess they've augmented their sound by making it more subtle and versatile.
This is a good move as it enables them to avoid drifting into gimmick-territory
by pigenholing themselves into the horrorcore sub-genre.
29) Gangrene – Vodka & Ayahuasca
Gangrene is a duo comprised of
The Alchemist and Oh No. Vodka &
Ayahuasca is their sophomore album.
As the title and artwork imply,
this projects finds them mixing rap with psychedelic influences. The
instrumentals do this successfully, demonstrating how only a bit of added
flavour can make the boom-bap sound still surprise audiences. The lyrics are
alright, if nothing more (one could imagine the likes of Ishmael Butler and Jay
Electronica using these beats to full effect and turning in fittingly drowsy,
ghostly performances), deducting nothing of the album's allure but not adding
much either.
Ultimately, no bad words about
this one – Vodka & Ayahuasca is
boom-bap dipped in a slightly different, exotic sauce.
28) Curren$y – The Stoned Immaculate
Curren$y is a very, very, very
productive artist. The following quote from the album works as a shrewd
description of his modus operandi: „I work hard, bloggers thinking that it's 10
of me.“ Interestingly enough, despite the plethora of projects he's put out,
Warner Bros. Records have called TSI
his „debut album“.
That claim is absolute tomfoolery,
but they are on to something: TSI is
different from most of Spitta's other creations in the sense that there’s a
large variety of producers and featured artists present: Wiz Khalifa, Big
K.R.I.T., Wale all make appearances among others, whilst The Neptunes and Daz
Dillinger are present. It's surprising that Ski Beatz, the man behind both
editions of Pilot Talk, is absent
here, though. In other aspects, it’s a classic Curren$y project. The tempo is
lethaaaaargiiiiiiic most of the time, possessing a rather „green“ vibe (obvious
reference is obvious). Curren$y's mindstate is fitting: lethargic to the point
of near-apathy, yet confident and clever. The lyrical aspect of the album is
also Curren$y's „nine-to-five“, so to speak: it is brimming with braggadocio,
verses depicting everything that comes along with wealth, such as a myriad of
females, a legion of cars and tons of high-quality weed. Curren$y's
eccentricity helps him reinvigorate the paltry subject matter (think „I chase
that money down like it said somethin' bout my mama“).
The Stoned Immaculate is a smooth record, one which definitely
holds a high place (double entendre!) in Curren$y's discography, a pleasant comrade
for many a pastime.
27) Public Enemy – Most of My Heroes
Still Don’t Appear on No Stamp
Public Enemy marked the year of
their induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame with two albums, the
first of which is this. MOMHSDAONS –
as the title already implies – carries on themes that hark back to their prime,
the times of A Nation of Millions and
Fear of a Black Planet. The sound is
also vintage without sounding tired, as the blueprint crafted by The Bomb Squad
is resurrected and is as vivacious as ever. Brother Ali stops by on Get Up Stand Up, turning in a spirited
performance, as do Large Professor and Cormega on Catch the Thrown, both spirited highlights.
26) SpaceGhostPurrp – Mysterious Phonk:
The Chronicles of SpaceGhostPurrp
SGP's first retail album is a
good summation of his character and talents.It's a very bleak album,
sound-wise, with the eerie, lo-fi sound that Purrp’s known for being abundant.
His lyrical style is very simplistic, mostly morose in mood, as he's
disappointed by what the world is. The world is, in his opinion, a „house with
a yard full of snakes“. Haters, hypocrites, the futility of the
money-worshipping world is a recurring topic, something which he loathes, but
admits that he is also driven by a thirst for money and success. His relationship
with the world is a love-hate one as well, on occasion he equates it with hell,
but on some occasions he also claims to love it and his hometown – Miami – as
well despite all the problems. The production fits the somewhat dystopian,
nihilistic and paranoid mood. A very interesting album by the young
misanthrope, with the alien-sounding production justifying the Space in his
name.
25) Action Bronson – Rare Chandeliers
Action Bronson brings more of the
same to the table. The Alchemist is the star of this one, though, as his beats
are the main reason for the project’s shine. Bronson’s establishing his
foothold and it reflects in his confidence. Hopefully he will find the prospect
of expanding his sound worthwhile at some point, though.
24) Public Enemy – The Evil Empire of
Everything
The second album released by P.E.
this year, The Evil Empire of Everything is also aggressive and passionate. Musically, it's even more stirring than Most of My Heroes Still Don't Appear on No
Stamp, with Ziggy Marley and Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine making
notable appearances. The grim, menacing Beyond
Trayvon is perhaps the pick of the bunch. Chuck D's lyrics and voice are
still so powerful that it's simply a delight to hear, with him proving there is
room in the game for MCs over 50.
23) Homeboy Sandman – First of a Living
Breed
Tradition is molded with
freshness on First of a Living Breed.
The album is largely a backpack rap opus in character and sound, with glitchy
samples complementing the gentle giant's unorthodox flow and charismatic,
laid-back character. Sandman drops a pretty good love song (a rare occurrence
in rap music!) in Couple Bars,
discusses traits of the era, the capabilities of technical gadgets and more in
the Orwellian Illuminati and visits
other autobiographical and/or educational topics. Recommended for all
lyric-heads.
22) JJ DOOM – Key to the Kuffs
DOOM teams up with Jneiro Jarel
on his most recent collaborative album. Jarel's eccentric, occasionally fun,
occasionally hazy, occasionally pacy, occasionally something else beats suit DOOM's
unorthodox flow and character, which seems to prosper alongside eccentric,
off-kilter production (see DANGERDOOM
and Madvillainy). DOOM delivers some
braggadocio, some affection-imbued lyrics and more, all lethally technical. He
can also be credited with probably using the name of Eyjafjällajökull for the
first (and probably last) time in rap. Beth Gibbons and Damon Albarn of
Portishead and Blur, respectively, are the most notable guests.
At a time when Anne Hathaway
constitutes nearly all that's worthwhile about the most recent Batman movie,
DOOM holds high the reputation of masked men.
21) Death Grips – No Love Deep Web
It was a surprise to see Death Grips signed to a major
label; that, however , is no more. The phallic-coverart-wielding NLDW is the group's middle finger to
label executives, being leaked onto the Internet by the group members
themselves after they were informed that the album wouldn't be released in 2012. No Love Deep Web largely carries on
the sound of The Money Store, but a
new step is that they're utilising space in their compositions. Check out Artificial Death in the West for an
example. Those cryptic lyrics are still present, that gloomy, almost demonic
sound is still present and as menacing as ever, making No Love Deep Web a rewarding listen.
20) Sean Price – Mic Tyson
If you’re not aware yet, Sean
Price is not to be fucked with. His raps slap the Earth off its axis and should
you bother him, he will pistol-whip your brains out your ears, use them to cook
up a stew, feed an entire nation with it, and wipe out a few planets and pistol
whip everyone on the planet just for kicks at the same time, all in the blink
of an eye. All tight-jean-and-jewelry-wearing-bubblegum-ass rappers are
particularly exposed to this danger. The album is packed with multi-syllabic
rhymes riddled with braggadocio, intentionally overblown to such gargantuan
dimensions that it brings a comic element to the table. The busy production
provides a suitable backdrop to all the verbal battery.
The shortness of the songs and
dopeness of the beats make this a fresh, captivating project. Mic Tyson is an energetic
click-clack-try-to-move-and-get-snapped-back-and-gat-slapped-slick-rap album.
19) Big K.R.I.T. – 4 Eva N a Day
Since 2010, KRIT's released a few
free albums of very high quality in a row, all following a formula that works
wonders for him. 4 Eva N a Day is the
third.
It's a mixtape with a loose
concept – a day in the life of KRIT, from the first rays of the morning sun to
the late dark hours. It's a demonstration of his prowess behind the boards
first and foremost, with the backgrounds being being lush, ethereal yet
distinctly bearing the nostalgic Southern stamp. He's also a competent,
heart-on-sleeve style wordsmith. Red Eye
is probably the highlight of the entire project – the lyrical content and the
emotions of KRIT are all present, as is a beautiful beat. Something for the
Southern aficionados.
18) Freddie Gibbs – Baby Face Killa
Freddie Gibbs hails from Gary,
Indiana, as he often feels inclined to inform you. His Midwest heritage does
express itself in his music, with a Bone Thugs-n-Harmony influence audible in
his slightly melodic flow, which itself can be both the as intense and pacy as
a machine gun or as mellow as anything under the sun.
One of Gibbs' strong points is
his versatility, as he can adapt to a variety of beats with no difficulties.
The beats here are mostly soulful, mid-paced backdrops in possession of a thoroughly
90s timbre. He talks about the life of crime, specifically that of a dealer,
the unpredictability of street life (Krazy
is a good example), occasionally switching into boast-mode to celebrate his
various triumphs (Bout It, Bout It; Boxframe Cadillac). Nods to hip-hop's
favourite form of flora are also understandably present, with the hazy-yet-pacy Kush Cloud being the most obvious of
those.
Summing up the trials,
tribulations and rewards of street life, Baby
Face Killa is another piece of pure-bred gangsta rap made by Gibbs.
17) Big K.R.I.T. – Live from the
Underground
So here it is. Big K.R.I.T.'s
debut album. „Debut album“ is a misleading term in itself in these days and
times, as this is already his fourth full-length project, crafted with care for
every detail. Nonetheless, having your album released by Def Jam does result in
many pairs of ears hearing your music for the first time. On those grounds, it
makes perfect sense, that LFTU
resembles its three predecessors both in terms of sound and content.
This is not bad, not bad by any
means – K.R.I.T. is at the forefront of people striving to keep alive the sound
of groups such as Goodie Mob, UGK, OutKast and so forth. The soundscape is
dominated by funk, soul (of the Stax variety) and blues, thematically it can be
divided into two rough categories: the bangers and the introspective,
thoughtful tracks. The album is solid throughout, albeit the beginning and the
end overshadow the tracks in between. The last third of the album is
particularly impressive: the tracks situated there (Rich Dad, Poor Dad and the B.B. King-featuring Praying Man in particular!) are some of the best work K.R.I.T.'s
done yet.
Although one or two tracks
slightly compromise the overall quality of the album, Live from the Underground is a strong debut. And by all signs, this
should only be the start. Stay tuned – and buy the record, support the artist!
16) T.I. – Trouble Man: Heavy Is the
Head
Trouble Man is T.I.'s first album after exiting the confines of the
penitentiary. As a result, he's a man on a mission, intent on re-establishing
himself as the monarch of Southern rap.
Sound-wise, Trouble Man is largely a dichotomy made up of trap music
(listenable trap songs!!! I was surprised that this is actually possible) and
more groovy, soulful productions. Drug talk is still the most common source of
subject matter, though Tip's lyrical finesse helps avoid the tone getting
monotone. The standout tracks involve –
understandably – a bit more subject matter: Sorry
is the moment where Tip finally teams up with (and gets slaughtered by) André
3000; their verses primarily revolve around the negative effects fame can have
on one’s life. On Can You Learn T.I. talks
about the magnetic field surrounding him that just keeps pulling trouble around
time after time. Other guests involve Meek Mill, ASAP Rocky and Lil Wayne (who
surprisingly manages to avoid fucking up a song he's featured on, something
he's prone to do).
T.I. is back on a roll with Trouble Man. Watch the throne.
15) Aesop Rock – Skelethon
Aesop is as enigmatic as ever, lining
up cryptic, metaphore-laden rhymes one after another. On occasion, he can get a
bit too obscure for any comprehension, so if you're feeling like an Enigma
machine, you'll probably appreciate Skelethon.
He talks about issues weighing
down his own mind, such as desolation and alienation stemming from
relationships that keep breaking down and even his family connections dying
down (expressing his doubts about the „blood is thicker than water“ saying) and
names riding a motorcycle as one of his preferred methods of escapism. There's
also an odd sort of humour present, as Fryerstarter (an ode to a place called Bob's Donuts) and Grace (a track depicting his resentment of vegetables and the trouble it caused him
back in the day). There are moments of pure storytelling present, such as Ruby
'81, a short-story-in-music about a beagle saving a little girl from death by
drowning. The macabre Crows pieces
are probably the closest thing to Edgar-Allan-Poe-meets-hip-hop one has heard. ZZZ Top has three characters signifying
their love for music by inscribing a names or symbols. An album rich in lyrical
depth, well worth the scrutiny.
14) Danny! – Payback
Payback is a concept album about an upset Danny Swain's backlash at
the music industry, with the reason for his angst being his lack of success.
Danny! feels that people don't believe in him and the industry is at blame for
this stagnation. „If underrated is a compliment, then keep it“, is a line that
sums up his frustrations. The album showcases his candid lyricism and talent
for producing, as it's full of dense, soulful production with some great beat
changes also present. El-P, Lil B, Blu ?uestlove all belong to the colourful
guest list.
13) O.C. & Apollo Brown – Trophies
1994 was one of those magical
years in hip-hop: Nas delivered the holy scripture of hip-hop, Biggie, OutKast
and others delivered classic debut albums. One of those 'others' was Omar
Credle's debut, Word...Life. The
sales were meagre but the album was met with critical acclaim, that was
followed by a song as one of the Crooklyn Dodgers, followed by a solid
sophomore album. After that, O.C. faded into obscurity. Trophies is the grandmaster's biggest accomplishment in more than a
decade.
The album is made in conjunction
with Detroit beatsmith Apollo Brown, who hails from a younger generation than
O, but their styles mesh with real chemistry. Brown's input is characteristic
of him: sample-driven soundscapes, with hard-hitting drums and different
fragments (strings, brass and more) form an ethereal, often majestic whole. The
album is cohesive both musically and lyrically: the dominant theme is the
paradigm that materialism plays a major role in the deterioration of mankind
and could prove to be its bane. Most tracks point out the looming lust for
fame, hypocrisy being found nearly everywhere in society, mostly in a
contemplative tone that expresses hope for overcoming these problems. The Formula is O's nod to his idols –
primarily The D.O.C. -, Fantastic,
the closer, is also a personal track.
A remarkable feat is the album
having NO guest features, a risky, yet rewarding move. 1990s in character, yet
– thankfully – not sounding dated, Trophies
is a spirited homage to classical hip-hop and an admirably consistent album.
12) Skyzoo – A Dream Deferred
Skyzoo is a Brooklyn-bred emcee
with approaches topics with a heartfelt, sincere attitude. He's -in my opinion, of course - an emcee in the
mould of Talib Kweli: conscious yet avoiding preachiness, in possession of a
mellow voice, equally adept at being a griot of the ghetto and a loverman
respectively. Saying „fuck an E for effort, don't celebrate the attempt“, he
celebrates hard work and the success that follows on the opener, Dreams in a Basement. That song is also
a good example of what elevates A Dream
Deferred to a higher position than a variety of other similar albums: a bit
more attention being spent on detail. The instrumental codas that cap off many
of the songs augment the album's sound, demonstrating what a difference a few
minor additions can make. Skyzoo is a skilled wordsmith who maintains a solid
level throughout, with the lush instrumentals keeping up the pace.
11) Captain Murphy – Duality
The mysterious author of Duality, Captain Murphy, eventually
turned out to be Flying Lotus. This project – the first project of his rapper
alter-ego – has him engaging in cult leader talk, braggadocio, and more. Murphy
is in a raunchy mood throughout, showing glimpses of paranoia on occasions,
also expressing his discontentment as he compares himself to Bruce Wayne (split
into two different characters). The production here is positively mad, with a
maniacal, heathen sound helping elevate this to a project unique in sound.
Psychedelic rap really could be the term to use here. The Ritual depicts a virgin sacrifice, making this something of a
rap peer to Stravinsky's The Rite of
Spring. Audiophiles with a taste for the peculiar should definitely hear
this out.
10) Ab-Soul – Control System
Black Hippy has been establishing
itself as THE contemporary powerhouse/supergroup of hip-hop. Ab-Soul has, in
his own words, gone „from underdog to secret weapon“. Those are not empty
words.
Of the four – none of whom are
pushovers when it comes to bars – Soul is probably the most potent lyricist.
He's a very eccentric wordsmith, combining charisma with intellect, being
contradictory just like any other human being (all this is summed up by
himself: „Genius idiot, best description of myself“). On Terrorist Threats, he, among other things, expresses his
disapproval of the common rap topics such as gang life, drug talk and all that.
He's no hypocrite in that regard, as he possesses a large variety of topics,
all related to his own life, thoughts and experiences („I'm all about that
real, about that real, this ain't no motion picture“): DMT and its effects, the
troubles and inequalities of America, fear of death and its futility and
gender-related double standards among others. He salutes his own „vices“ (not really
a fitting word, one'd say, but it'll have to suffice), such as purple drank (Mixed Feelings) and the allure of beauty
on Lust Demons. On Track Two he taunts the opposition and
expresses his joy of TDE's rise to glory. The
Book of Soul is the definition of poignant, covering his childhood,
troublesome and near-fatal health issues and his relationship with Alori Joh
and her suicide. All four members of Black Hippy combine to strike a powerful
final chord in the closer, the remix to Black
Lip Bastard.
Control System is a fascinating album, rich in substance, lyrical
prowess, and esoteric work with fitting (occasionally minimalistic beats
influenced either by soul, jazz or electronica, all with a mystical and
contemplative sound) production to match it.
09) Schoolboy Q – Habits &
Contradictions
Habits & Contradictions, Q's sophomore release, is another
invigorating release from the Black Hippy camp – the crew responsible for the
West Coast rising from the ashes, phoenix-style. Until 2012, Kendrick Lamar had
been overshadowing the other members, but with H&C, Q establishes himself as a distinct character.
The production is largely similar
to that of Section.80, being
ethereal, melodic and esoteric, thus contrasting Q's rapping. With regard to
the lyrical side of things, hedonism is by and large the law here, with
Schoolboy's spark, sharpness and skill inserts some much-needed vigour into
overused themes and concepts. It's a notably consistent album that sounds
alluring throughout. The guests are well-picked as well (Blessed with Kendrick Lamar and Hands
on the Wheel with ASAP Rocky are highlights of the album without a shadow
of doubt).
Habits & Contradictions is a lush opus that suits many
scenarios – roaming the streets in an automobile, a social pastime or just
mellow lounging.
08) Roc Marciano – Reloaded
Roc Marciano is possibly the most
notable contemporary practitioner of mid-90s New York Hip-Hop. He's no ersatz
artist, though, having created a sound that, while harking back to the 90s, is
distinctively his own.
This has Marciano delivering
verbose, technical rhymes with the acuteness of an assassin song after song,
usually without any hooks. The lyrics, while containing rhymes hinting at
braggadocio, are images of what goes on in the Rotten Apple, rather than
autobiographical lines, at least most of the time. Marciano's delivery, which
is almost always eerily devoid of any emotions, lends the atmosphere – much
like Prodigy did during The Infamous – a considerably more sinister aura. The production, mostly also by Marciano
himself, is very cohesive, and also warrants a comparison with classics of old
– the icy echoes and piano notes paint the milieu of New York's dark alleys at
night time with a majestically authentic flair, a sound reminiscent of the
crystallic sound of Liquid Swords and
the bleakness of The Infamous.
Reloaded, Marciano's sophomore album, is a carefully polished album
that places emphasis on nuances. Thus, this elegant street suite is
particularly rewarding for the patient listener.
07) Death Grips – The Money Store
In the last few years, the
numerous new and interesting artists have popped up on the rap scene like
mushrooms after heavy rain. One of the most notable newcomers are Death Grips:
aesthetically, they might put the tolerance threshold of many a conservative
listener to the limit, but if you manage to dig deep into the music and let it
reach you, The Money Store turns out
to be an exhilarating (for example the primitivist, yet powerful chorus of Hustle Bones) and, in a strange enough
manner, melodic listen!
The Money Store sounds like the bastard child of many a genre in
the best possible meaning such a term could convey – really, ignore the
negative connotations - , as the tracks are made up of temperamental,
chopped-up samples, menacing bass and pacy drum rhythms which, along with the
vocal, form a maniacal whole. Most of the time, MC Ride's slightly
Mayakovsky-esque, slightly primal, slightly simply raving mad shouts form
another layer of the music, but they would be very interesting even without any
sort of a backdrop: by and large they come across as gloomy, cryptic (often to
the point where only Ride himself probably knows whatever meaning lies behind
them) and symbolist , often coming across as absurd when one only concerns him-/herself
with the facade of the lyric („visit Tesla's grave for the ninth time today“).
The hooks, often comprised of one and only one recurring phrase, obtain a
mantra-esque effect.
Death Grips seem to be a
polarising group: their high-tempo and raging sound can either amaze one or
make one nauseous. Worth a listen – many a listen -, regardless of the outcome.
06) THEESatisfaction – awE naturalE
Shabazz Palaces – whose debut
album, Black Up, was one of the
highlights of 2011 regardless of genre – was the first hip-hop collective in
the ranks of Sub Pop; in their footprints follow THEESatisfaction, who for all
intents and purposes come across as a sister-group of sorts to Shabazz Palaces.
Here's why: both are members of
Sub Pop, both have somewhat similar styles – the sound, which is vaguely
characteristic for both of them, happens to be unique when compared to most
projects of whatever genre -, and they also happen to be close collaborators.
The two members of this group helped give Black
Up its finishing touches and last little details, on this album, Palaceer
Lazaro (previously known as Butterfly of Digable Planets fame) of Palaces has a
fair bit of input here. Both groups are duos, both groups have an unique sound,
an amalgam of different genres that oozes of some inexplicable – yet
perceptible! – spirituality and mystique, as if it were made by griots from
Western Africa. The unconventionally-structured, slightly psychedelic tracks
often remind one of incantations, rather than rapping or singing or what ever
is going on during a particular moment.
Catherine Harris-White's
beautiful, dreamy singing and Stasia Irons' raps also contrast one another,
forming a contrasting, yet delightfully assonant whole. A rewarding experience,
blown together by four winds, eight directions and various cultures. As
wonderful as it sounds, though, awE
naturalE is a tad TOO brief (really, the brevity of this album makes me
want to weep) not to leave a listener wishing for more.. thus, hopefully it’s a
blueprint for more similar projects in the future.
05) Big Boi – Vicious Lies and
Dangerous Rumors
OutKast are one of THE great duos
of all time. They did sort of – and successfully at that – go solo with Speakerboxxx/The Love Below. However,
Big Boi's the only half of the duo to release a full-fledged solo project thus
far, that being Sir Lucious Left Foot:
Son of Chico Dusty, released in 2010. This is his sophomore effort.
Where SLLF rather emphasised tradition, VLDR goes for unbashed experimentation most of the time, sometimes
more, sometimes less successfully. Phantogram and Little Dragon are two of the
most consistent collaborators on here. Shoes
for Running, featuring Wavves and B.o.B, is probably the least impressive –
albeit not bad – track. Descending,
the outro, could've used some rapping by Patton to feel fully developed, but is
still enjoyable, even if slight. The best moments occur when all involved
harmonise with complete success, such as on Thom
Pettie (featuring the ever-aggressive Killer Mike and Little Dragon) and Lines (where Big Boi teams up with Sarah
Barthel of Phantogram and Houston-influenced new boy ASAP Rocky). The
production is mostly an amalgam of indie, electro and funk, though some more
traditional bits are also present (The
Thickets, featuring Sleepy Brown, and the Atlanta-rap showcase In the A).
All in all, Vicious Lies and Dangerous Rumors finds Big Boi ambitious and as
sharp as ever; it's not a perfect album, but an innovative one, and one that
helps the 'Kast camp maintain their record of no trite releases.
04) El-P – Cancer 4 Cure
2012 was a busy year for El-P.
The New Yorker with an impressive CV is responsible for two albums released in
the month of May: one is his collaboration with Killer Mike (with El Producto
behind the boards), the other is his newest solo project, Cancer 4 Cure.
C4C is dedicated to the memory of Camu Tao, a friend and colleague,
whose departure has most likely left its mark on the character of the album.
It's a vivid encapsulation of El-P's quirks and strengths: a distinctive
producing style full of psychedelic echoes, ominous blots of bass and powerful
percussion. The sci-fi-influenced, often cryptic verses – the author himself
references said character: „I'm a „holy fuck what did he just utter“ marksman“
– are present and well audible. The mood is paranoid and often morose, the
atmosphere always colourful. Themes are rich in variety: True Story is a comment on overpopulation, Tougher Colder Killer viciously lashes out at war, Drones Over BKLYN agitates one to look
over his shoulder (and above his head!), Oh
Hail No a verbal lash of the whip aimed at wack emcees.
The guests are few in number, but
well chosen: Killer Mike maintains his 2012 standard, Mr. Muthafuckin' eXquire
introduces himself to a larger audience with a pleasantly flowing verse, Danny
Brown... is Danny Brown. C4C is an
interesting, expertly composed and conducted album; a carrousel ride inside the
dome of an enigmatic multi-talent.
03) Killer Mike – R.A.P. Music
Killer Mike has been worthy of
being called a veteran for some time, but R.A.P.
Music is the album which can cement that reputation and propel him into the
Hall of Fame of Southern rap as such. The reason is simple: he had a strong
oeuvre even before, but this album looks set to be a Southern classic, only Sir Lucious Left Foot has been of
similar quality in recent years.
One of the main things which
makes R.A.P. Music special is
probably the fact that El-P is responsible for the production. Albeit on paper
this would seem – before 2012, at least it certainly did – a strange
combination, it works magnificently: as a duo they complement one another,
creating a multifaceted sound: tension is the common denominator as a
deep-fried Southern vocal and left-field hip-hop's dark, occasionally ethereal
and always powerful production join forces. Having one producer take care of
the entire album helps to make it cohesive in spite of the wide-ranging subject
matter: the album starts with an imposing posse cut (carrying the name Big Beast, which obtained a pleasantly
gory video - inspired by Drive - in
June), which works as an ode to Atlanta. Over the course of the album, both jovial
(the freestyle-flavoured Go!) as well
as serious, message-centered cuts (the vicious, candid Reagan for example) can be found. The two last tracks of the album
also stand out: Willie Burke Sherwood is a deeply personal piece and the album's title track is an ode to hip-hop
(and African-American music in general, with Miles Davis and Curtis Mayfield
being but two of the greats mentioned) and its ability to speak to people's
hearts. Both technically and lyrically, Mike is in top form throughout.
R.A.P. is pretty much a flawless album: versatile YET cohesive,
just about the perfect length (not miniature yet not an overlong opus) and with
plenty of character and spirit. The teamwork of two artists has given it an
unique spice. R.A.P. Music is one
such moment, where an artist has had exact knowledge his goal, and executed it
with precision.
02) Nas – Life Is Good
While Nasir Jones has been
releasing good albums in recent years, his personal life has been less of a
triumph, with tax issues looming about and his marriage with Kelis breaking up.
As it often is with artists, the problems seem to have rejuvenated him, as he
returns to classic form for this one.
The album kicks off with No
Introduction, in which Nas goes all the way back to his humble beginnings and
ends the song by dedicating the album to Kelis, all next to a lush pop-jazzy
groove crafted by the J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League. Loco-Motive, the follow-up, sounds
like the brother of New York State of Mind, returning home donning a beard and
reeking of whisky after a being lost for a long time. The orchestral A Queens
Story is a tale about some lost comrades of his, depicting the bloody character
of said borough. Accident Murderers, the only song on the album with a guest
verse – surprisingly enough, it's by Rick Ross – points out how people get
killed by amateurs who - despite all the bravado present in their talk – know next
to nothing about firearms. Daughters is perhaps the most interesting song of
all, made about the difficulties of raising a daughter, especially when you're
no role model yourself. Bye Baby, the closer, is Nas' adieu to Kelis, where he
chooses to remind the good times and move on, rather than washing the dirty
laundry in public.
Life Is Good is not a perfect
album – Summer on Smash, a complete mess with Swizz Beatz largely responsible,
is the one big blot on the parchment -, but it's an album that has a
grandmaster at the top of his game, taking on large topics. Nas' lyrical game –
metaphors, all sorts of wordplay, etc – is on top and he sounds motivated and
passionate throughout. For the first time in quite a while, Nas has also
gathered top-notch production (largely 90s-influenced yet fresh) for the
entirety of an album. Life Is Good is an album showcasing Nas' different traits
in kaleidoscopic fashion, an album which has him waving his troubles goodbye
and moving on, an album fit for a claimant of the Golden Mic of New York.
01)
Kendrick Lamar – good kid, m.A.A.d
city
On Section.80, Lamar's tales were mostly in third person. Good kid, m.A.A.d city, his retail
debut, is Kendrick's own tale.
It's subtitled A Short Film by Kendrick Lamar and it
does run as such. Sherane kicks off
with an eerie party scene, with Kendrick's lust for her in the forefront, but
themes of crime and the danger of Compton are already present. Backseat Freestyle has Kendrick making
his first attempts at rapping in the company of his friends, who then go
wilding out on the hood in the following track, a brilliant and evocative take
on peer pressure. M.A.A.d city
depicts the pointless violence looming the city in demonic fashion, with
veteran MC Eiht showing up on the second half of the track to unite Compton of
new and old. Swimming Pools is a
great track: it’s conceptually crafted and laced with deep meaning, yet also in
possession of a sound a wider audience can also appreciate. The 12-minute Sing About Me, I'm Dying of Thirst has
Kendrick telling the tale of two people he knows, immortalising them in the
process. It's a beautiful piece about
the character of the poverty-plagued Compton. Skits present between songs also
help establish a connection between them and give the album a semi-linear
progression. The production is a mix of in-house producers and big names such
as Hit-Boy, Pharrell and Just Blaze, with most being spacy, cinematic
soundscapes, with the hard-hitting Backseat
Freestyle and closing-titles-track Compton
(Just Blaze laces it with a Zapp-influenced beat and Dr. Dre joins his new
protege on the trak) differing from the pattern.
Simultaneously connected with the
past and present, good kid, m.A.A.d city
is an astoundingly cohesive work that also withstands being scrutinised song by
song; a triumph creatively, musically and commercially. A short film brought
you in musical form by a talented writer.
Non-Hip-Hop picks:
Frank Ocean – channel ORANGE
With this, Frank Ocean establishes himself as one of the
most talented songwriters of the generation.
Grizzly Bear – Shields
An eccentric work where different elements are expertly sewn
into one cohesive – and gorgeous – opus.
Jack White – Blunderbuss
Jack White goes... Jack White. And it's great, as usual.
Jessie Ware – Devotion
An alluring album that seems slow and stagnant for a few
seconds, then simply runs you over with its beauty.
Miguel – Kaleidoscope Dream
Miguel's angellic tenor croons and wails in vintage fashion.
Marvin Gaye would probably be proud of this slightly psychedelia-flavoured opus.
Tame Impala – Lonerism
Proudly displaying its influences yet in possession of a
distinct character, Tame Impala pull off a breathtakingly beautiful album. My
overall favourite of 2012.
WHOOP WHOOP
