#sounds like im being pretentious because hes basically god but i did say Average. which i feel is very important to point out

[malachia-il-bibliotecario]

im just like if adrian leverkühn was kinda average. which i am aware is against the whole point of his character but i AM just like if adrian leverkühn was kinda average

[kryptomalawian-blog]

THE DIARIES A REVIEW

Released in August 2018, The Dairies is a project that’s curated by Barry Uno and Phyzix and one that has a lot of potential of being one of the ones to carry us through the summer. I’ve been with the record for over a month now and should have come round to reviewing this sooner but video games and other things on my time table kinda kept me from getting around to it. Anyway here we are…. At first glance I can honestly tell you that this project feels like these guys put a lot of thought and heart into to bringing this concept to life.

Both, Veteran musicians in the Malawi rap scene, have extensively experimented with various methods of sonic delivery, from afro pop, to grimy rap, to trap, to gospel, you can pick any and that experience definitely shows on this project.

The first track, The Diaries Intro, is definitely an ode to just that. Both start off with a strong performance mostly acknowledging their career paths, they each reminisce about their challenges in life, the highs the lows, and that common ground is what sets the foundation stones for their chemistry on this project. And you will hear a lot of that retrospection on the album. Beats here are really great and they set the mood for the listener for the whole project.

Zimandiwawa; (Hurts me to think about it) is great stand out track with an Afro touch, Barry, shows of his versatility in both rhyme delivery, subject matter and staying on topic, Phyzix also sails through the beat gracefully with charm and great delivery,  but the shining gem of this track is the featured Nepman on the hook who adds an odd blend of the style of rapper Future while adding a dancehall spin to the beat

Phyzix leads on the next track Mfana Wa Hip Hop (translated Hip hop Cat) with what I must say is an honestly predictable verse and not very technical rhyme scheme, the beat is not that spectacular and is badly mixed so that also doesn’t help things. Barry Uno however, comes to the rescue and utilizes the chance to show off his rappity rap skills which he does that really well. The final verse is performed by Cyclone who happens to be Barry’s brother and he ends the track with an easily forgettable but generally respectable verse.

Relationships, goes the introspective route does well in describing usual problems and the heavy situations that can weigh down on long term and committed relationships. It definitely helps that Barry Uno and Phyzix who are both married themselves are able to articulate these problems although to be honest Phyzix’ verse falls short with some lazy writing and slightly off topic subject matter in the end.

Wine is another Nepman feature, an up beat track that successfully touches on alcoholic routines and patterns that are quite relatable for the average 20 and 30 somethings in Malawi. Without giving away too much Barry starts off with a roleplay on how he’s navigating a day after serious drinks plagued with a serious hangover. And the plans for that day obviously lead to another link up with the squad where they get to do it all over again. Were also blessed with a strong Hook from Nepman with the same Dancehall and Future meshed sound. The downside however is Phyzix delivers more lazy writing in his bars, and the bad mixing doesn’t help things much.

Feeling Your Body is a stand out beat that could fit into any Malawian club playlist well. It delivers an Afro pop sound, the hook is catchy and on point. On this track you can tell Phyzix is at home and he shows off his recently sharpened abilities to make entertaining party scene jams very well. Barry delivers a fantastic Chichewa verse that really stays on theme with the track. This is a really great track

Mental Level, is a Trap beat with an attitude. If you want to admire the willingness of both rappers to experiment outside their comfort zones this is the track. This track while being forgettable, because its very derivative still is still capable of being entertaining if you’re not being too critical about what it obviously sounds like.

Vina (translated Dance) is one of those tracks that puzzles me. Much of this is probably due to the god awful and to be brutally honest,… boring production. It’s trying to be melodic and catchy but it fails miserably at both attempts. This is the track probably shouldn’t have made the final cut in terms of their arrangement and yeah you’re allowed to skip it.

Were now in the second half… Patentha (The scene’s hot) explores themes of the club scene. A proper Malawian beat. A dope hook and the Waxy  is definitely doing an alright job of keeping up. Phyzix comes off believably with that home grown unwashed street smart hood rat (Ghamba) signature vibe he’s well known for (think Cholapitsa... if you know you know). Many great local references to have fun with, Barry finishes the track keeping on theme with that same street smart hood rat energy making the track pretty satisfying.

Chovala Chosasita (Unironed clothes). This track has great energy, it has dope banter, playfulness, and attitude (think 2005 Jeezy) which is honestly great and im honestyly not mad at. Both Emcees are basically doing lyrical backflips switching between Chichewa and English to deliver a track that demonstrates the chemistry the duo have. Unfortunately again the bad mixing lets them down here and that stands out more than their individual talents which is kind of sad cos this beat has serious serious potential and staying power after the beat stops.

Ukamandiona(When You See me). A track touching on faith and hope and all that jazz. Phyzix goes in describing his underprivileged roots and aslo gives you a glance at the lifestyles he used to covet from far. Barry Uno does a strange auto tune thing in this one that I honestly I didn’t relate to so this quite likely defining his lowest point in the album. The beats got trap vibes, so its also derivative which means I find it a bit diluted, but as a plus the strong hook will definitely keep with your after the beat dies off.

Timakukondani. (We love you) A track proclaiming their love for God an obvious proclamation of their Christian faith. Its not a very nuanced track so don’t expect to be wowed by any sort of message beyond gratefulness to the creator for the artists successes. What makes me mad about this track is that it’s a real mess and if you ask me It quite honestly doesn’t really fit in with the whole project but that’s just my opinion. Moving on…

The Diaries: another title track and a solid solid outro. Probably Phyzix’ strongest performance, he catches the beat pockets as much as possible. Weaving in and out of English and Chichewa, the subject matter itself basically giving thanks to another successful collab and project. Barry also delivers a melodic flow that comes from the same POV of admiration of the effort put into this project. A great closing track.

Overall the project definitely deserves a lot of fan attention, I think many peeps should definitely sample this. The guys have a dope chemistry, the themes aren’t too pretentious, in fact they are quite honestly grounded, intended to connect with any 20 to 30 something living in Malawi with all the lovely local  and relatable references ,and punchlines. Production is a huge issue on this project, the sounds derivative for some of the contemporary beats, but the Afro influenced beats make the project really really interesting and those are the high points.

Last word, these guys are great rappers, and they need to do a Chichewa album which would be so fire, considering Barry Uno did “How We Do” and “Automatic”, and Phyzix came with it on “Cholapitsa” and “Ghamba” which were widely popular in their time and could probably still give Tay Grin a run for his money. And in closing just to impress audiophiles such as myself, I would definitely recommend they go back and remaster this project, get it mixed right cos that would do the project a lot of justice.

We give it a strong 5.5/10. Great effort they should form a rap group.

#MALAWI #MALAWIANHIPHOP #RAP