tongpoo - Tumblr blog

tongpoo · 7 years ago

Text

Ten Favorite Albums of 2017

10. Choker - Peak

Thank God I read Pigeons & Planes. I wouldn't have heard about Choker yet if it wasn't for them, but I would have in the next few years when he blows up. As of right now Choker just breached 2,000 followers on Twitter and my friend Pat gets more plays on SoundCloud than he does. I don't know much more about him, on Twitter his name is just "chris" and his Instagram is still MIA. But, in a way this kind of makes his music speak louder. I've gotten so used to hearing a dope track and immediately hunting down the artist's social medias in an effort to learn more about them and find what place this sound is coming from. In Choker's case, there isn't a ton of that. He hasn't actually tweeted since this album dropped, and everything before is just weird memes and 140 character jokes the internet age is so accustomed to. Choker is an artist who leaves everything they need to say in their art rather than effortlessly giving it to the world via iPhone thumb taps. Because of this, Peak benefits from having not much else to place it within context of and shines as a stand alone.

Rather than attacking the classic and conventional ideology of songwriting, Choker's Peak is full of "Is this the hook? Wait it's a verse. But when does the hook come back in?" type moments. It relies more on nature and what feels right, rather than structure and repetition. This isn't a bad thing at all, and is pretty hard to accomplish without sounding messy. Names like Frank Ocean, Sufjan Stevens, Björk all take similar approaches to their sound, and you're definitely in good company if mentioned in the same thought as them. Choker's lyricism isn't always literal and mostly seems is used to paint a mood. Lines like "I see in Portra 400 // Mazzy Star pour out the function" giving both a visual and auditory representation of where he at. El Dorado, is an entire song about getting caught stealing a car and all the romantic memories shared within that car. Choker takes this simple plot and expands it into a four minute masterpiece of shimmering guitars, subtle 808s, and layers of vocals. His quick steps from singing to rapping are hard to keep tabs on, with this song having a four bar rap verse before switching back to singing. Hats aren't even introduced until the last 30 seconds. It's just this constant picking up and dropping Choker performs so easily that leaves you hungry for more of what was and anticipating what's to come.

Produced and written entirely by Choker, the instrumentals and vocals are gold. On Sunflower, Choker introduces with a shoegaze-esque minimal track, cuts that with distortion and a vocal sample and drops it into this portion of the song that feels very Weeknd-y, with harmonization, hi hats, and synths you'd find on the boss level of a PS2 game. After 30 seconds of that, he begins yelling trap adlibs across this pretty beat that consists of only a rhodes and lo-fi percussion. There's just no telling what could happen next, but it all fits so perfectly together. The entire album is like your life flashing before your eyes, or thinking back on good memories.

Favorite Tracks: Moksha, El Dorado, Sunflower

9. Sampha - Process

It's a slim amount of vocalists who pack as much emotion into their voice as Sampha Sisay. Even without the context and knowledge of Sampha's struggles, you'd still connect with the fear and pain behind his lyrics. But on Process, Sampha opens up more about the caretaking and loss of his mother to cancer, becoming distant with his brother, and discovering a painful and suspicious lump in his throat.

What's that meme where it's like a picture of two things and the caption is "Name a more iconic duo"? Anyway, the only acceptable version of that meme is Sampha and his keyboard. Many moments throughout this album are simply just Sampha and a piano or synth, and it never feels lacking. But with the same amount of ease he runs through a minimal track; he can embrace maximalist production as well. Process sort of carries an all or nothing mentality, with tracks that are bare bones and others oozing boundless energy. I was lucky enough to catch Sampha at Lollapalooza (my favorite performance of the weekend, by the way), and in one moment he was jumping around like a trap artist to Blood On Me then performing tear-worthy vocals to (No One Knows Me) Like The Piano. The fashion of Process is very best of both worlds, and Sampha has this down to a tee. All of this topped with A+ songwriting and production, there aren't many reasons to be anti-Process.

Within a brief 40 minutes, Sampha doesn’t waste a second trekking through his journey. Kind of random, but Sampha is one of two people to have worked with Kanye West, Drake, and Frank Ocean. The only other person is Jay Z. I feel like that just warrants some sort of legendary artistry validity, if Process itself hadn't already.

If you enjoy this album you should really read his FADER cover story. One of my favorite ever and includes an acoustic version of Plastic 100°C.

Favorite Tracks: Kora Sings, (No One Knows Me) Like the Piano, What Shouldn’t I Be?

8. Cosmo Pyke - Just Cosmo

Yeah, the album is only five tracks and there's nothing super groundbreaking or innovative, but for some reason I just love it. It's not even like a rare sound that's explored or something experimental or whatever. It's just a bunch of super fun and catchy tunes and sometimes that's all you really want from music. I haven't deep dived into the lyrics for an intricate emotional and metaphoric tale, and I really doubt there's much like that in here. Sometimes all you want from music is for it to sonically feel right and Just Cosmo does all of that for me.

Cosmo's sound radiates a youthful aura very specific to London. He taste tests a handful of genres throughout the album, matching his guitar to that loose jangly sound very popular in today's indie rock, with drums and percussion that lean towards jazz that's dipping its toes into samba. He vibes to reggae on the bridge of Chronic Sunshine, and builds and drops speeds on Wish You Were Gone. All the tracks on Just Cosmo nearly touch or exceed the five minute mark, letting Cosmo fully exercise all thoughts he has upon a song without letting the listener become overwhelmed. The closer, Great Dane, even clocks up to 8 minutes without feeling like too much to bear. Stress and other grim thoughts are the last thing on your mind while listening to Just Cosmo, because it's the soundtrack to a Sunday bike ride to get ice cream with your friends. It's the album you put on during the 2PM pool party. It's music you couldn't possibly be upset to.

There's not a ton to be said about an album that is very inexplicably awesome to me. The album doesn't do the undoable or break through walls or anything, but the sound it does have is very genuine and true. It sounds just like an album a 2017 kid from Peckham would make who has an interest in synths, guitars, and great music.

Favorite Tracks: Wish You Were Gone, Chronic Sunshine, Great Dane

7. Thundercat - Drunk

Thundercat doesn't play the bass, the bass plays Thundercat. The licks are so stank face worthy, and every riff turns you into a bobblehead. On every song you're faced with infectious basslines accompanied with melodic falsettos all courtesy of one man. The man behind Thundercat, real name Stephen Bruner, appears as a writer and producer on all tracks with help from just a few select others. He's one of those guys that you've heard, but didn't know you were listening to. Bruner's worked with contemporary greats such as Flying Lotus, Childish Gambino, Mac Miller, N*E*R*D, and most notably had a massive hand in Kendrick Lamar's To Pimp A Butterfly, supplying background vocals and tasteful E-bass front to back of that project. Being such a monumental figure in one of the decade's greatest albums, it makes total sense that his first album back since that hot run is spectacular as it is.

Bruner's depressive realistic, yet humorous, outlook on things is expressed all across Drunk. I remember reading or seeing in an interview that he titled the album "Drunk" because its often how he feels going about life. Being confused by existence and his nihilistic treatment of things. A lot of the tracks on the album are about very humdrum experiences in the day to day. One of Bruner's more fleshed out songs on Drunk is A Fan's Mail (Tron Song II) which is just all about how cool he thinks it would be to become a cat. Another, Tokyo, describing the many activities he takes part of while spending time in Japan's capital city. With all these songs about mundane pasttimes and average thoughts, the album lyrically feels like a very transparent look into Bruner's mind. While all of this is taking place, behind it all is some of the year's greatest production. With Bruner ripping enchanting bass riffs and fills throughout the entirety of the project, it sounds like he's exorcising the thing of demons at points. Drunk is appropriately sprinkled with funky synths and keys, with even Michael McDonald playing keys on Show You The Way, a track he also sings on with Kenny Loggins. Other producers involved are legendary EDM producer and DJ Flying Lotus appearing on more than half the tracks and Sounwave of TDE fame.

I actually almost made my senior quote ""I Am Crazy" -Thundercat" after the track on this album, where in the 25 second song he begins feeling nostalgic, then questions his memory thinking maybe things weren't as great as they appear to be in his faded mind. Myself, and I'm guessing most other people, often feel this way about a lot of things. It's a reminder that if you're feeling down in the now, wishing you were back in the good old days is pretty useless because not only is that impossible, chances are things were just as crummy as they were back then as well. It's a sentiment that helps being positive today which I just think is a valuable thought to keep in your head.

Favorite Tracks: Bus In These Streets, A Fan’s Mail (Tron Song II), The Turn Down

6. Rostam - Half-Light

After announcing his departure from Vampire Weekend, Rostam Batmanglij wasted no time on getting back to work. After a few collaborations with modern-day heavyweights Frank Ocean, Solange, and Haim, the multi-instrumentalist released his debut album Half-Light. Slim of features and help on production, this is a body of songs Rostam can rightfully call his own.

Sonically, the album rings all whistles and dings all bells. Hopping from a very acoustic I Will See You Again, to a very left-field Hold You, which is doused in hip-hop percussion and vocal effects that meet each other somewhere between James Blake and Pollari. I'd be interested in hearing a full-blown rap production from Rostam, as at some points throughout the album the thought is definitely teased but is never actually blossomed. From all aspects as a songwriter, Rostam's sound is hard to translate into words. It's certainly a separation from his work with Vampire Weekend, but not too distant of a cousin to render it completely unfamiliar. On Rudy, he emulates third-wave ska, then throws in this beautiful crash of horns for the breakdown. At first, the way each song is formatted seems so aimless and free flowing, but after repeated listens this is clearly an intentional and precisely made decision by Rostam. His voice,absent from Vampire Weekend songs, sounds built just for his production. As a songwriter, he does not lack at all, with songs like Bike Dream and When that could be read as poems.

Although initially saddened by Vampire Weekend losing such an integral member, I am ecstatic about this album. Time and time again Rostam has proved himself and I'm glad this album serves as a landmark of his accomplishments. One of my favorite albums of the year, with the title track especially being one of my favorite songs of the year.

Favorite Tracks: Half-Light, Rudy, Warning Intruders

5. Tyler, The Creator - Flower Boy

Tyler, The Creator changed my life. I would be lying if I said the way I lead my life is not somewhat thanks to this man whom I’ve never actually met. I spent most of the end of middle school and beginning of high school citing this guy as my religion and treating his albums as divine and sacred objects. Obviously, I'm still a massive fan and while my level of stan-dom is not quite at the level of "maniacal fan girl", I was still ridiculously excited for this album. Having spent days sunrise to sundown with Bastard, Goblin, Wolf, and Cherry Bomb in rotation, it's pretty clear that this is the album Tyler had always wanted to make. Even in 2009 there were neo soul 7th and 9th chords snuck into his raps about violent crimes. This guy always wanted to make a full blown jazz or pop album but really just lacked the technical ability and resources to do so. Finally, on Flower Boy, the creator finally fulfills the prophecy.

I don't think anyone has been able to pair booming and explosive percussion with breezy and swaying guitars as sophisticated as Tyler can. The drums hitting in Where This Flower Blooms after 45 seconds of strings, piano, and Frank Ocean's oh so sexy voice, is one of the hardest moments of the year. This contrast shows up a lot throughout the album. See You Again is led by these angelic harmonies by shared between Tyler and frequent collaborator Kali Uchis, and then you're just dropped off into this fiery abyss of 808s and laser gun-esque synths. One of my favorite tracks on the album is Boredom, which is 5 minutes of chilling by the pool relaxation. Immediately after that song you're slammed by production that is just so unnecessarily hype on I Ain't Got Time. This juxtaposition is so hard to perfect but so damn sweet once done correctly.

There's nothing wrong with Tyler's leathery voice smeared on top of his phat beats, but majority of my appreciation for him and this album specifically is for his production. Which is why I've always been a huge fan and never minded when Tyler enlisted features all over the place. The only place the names Rex Orange County, Jaden Smith, and Roy Ayers make sense together is when you're talking about a Tyler The Creator tracklist. He makes sure everyone brings their A game as well, as I've never really heard a phoned in verse or performance from anyone on a Tyler song. On Flower Boy, the places where Tyler does rap or sing, it never feels like its just to make the song longer as it did occasionally on previous works. Bar by bar Tyler is saying something with meaning which I think is something he's improved on a lot since Wolf and Cherry Bomb especially. All songs on Flower Boy fit a theme or concept and together those songs as an album are even better.

If I wasn't wearing such rose tinted goggles while looking back at them, I'd probably say this is Tyler, The Creator's best album. Even with them on its a pretty close race. This album is just so good and so Tyler with the dumb evilness of Who Dat Boy to the glossy and shiny groove of 911. Flower Boy is a soundtrack to make memories to and even with the inexcusable amount of times I've heard this guy's barking deep voice I don't think I'll ever want to hit skip on a track of his.

Favorite Tracks: Pothole, Boredom, 911 / Mr. Lonely

4. Jay-Z - 4:44

It's hard not to crack a smile when Jay-Z raps about his money. Sure you hear Young Thug or 21 Savage rap about dropping bands at the club, but with Shawn Carter's net worth nearing the ten figure mark, there aren't really any other rappers who are on his level. 4:44 is bedazzled with all sorts of ridiculous flexes. Verse two of The Story of O.J. specifically emphasizes this with him spitting "Fuck livin' rich and dyin' broke // I bought some artwork for one million // Two years later, that shit worth two million // Few years later, that shit worth eight million // I can't wait to give this shit to my children". Stunting about investing is next level, and it's hard to take any other rapper seriously regarding money knowing Jay Z could buy their life without hesitation.

I think that's where a lot of the beauty lies in 4:44. Jay-Z approaches all subjects on this album with such intimacy and speaks in a manner no one else really can. He relays nostalgia from growing up in the Marcy houses so effortlessly, and touches on struggling with infidelity on the truly moving title track. If haven't seen his Saturday Night Live performance of this track, it's clear this song holds so much weight to him.

The production on 4:44 is seriously masterful. No I.D. absolutely snaps, track after track. As an aspiring producer I seriously reference this album as my bible occasionally. The sample flip of Stevie Wonder on Smile is downright insane, accompanied with one of Jay-Z's best verses ever on the final marathon of lyrics chalks up the song as a highlight of the album. No I.D.'s work on Bam is worthy of note too, taking Sister Nancy's Bam Bam (which you've probably heard flipped in Kanye West's Famous or Lauryn Hill's Lost Ones) and transforms it into this reggaeton banger. And I can't make a write up for this album without showing praise to Marcy Me, which I regard as just a really perfect rap song. It just embodies everything I love about rap music; Jay Z's infectious flows, heartfelt delivery, clever wordplay, and a beat I could loop endlessly. Assistance from The-Dream on the outro of this track just makes this song transcend. This song, and overall 4:44, are the music I look forward to listening to throughout my life.

Favorite Tracks: Smile, Bam, Marcy Me

3. King Krule - The OOZ

Easily whisking from elements of punk, to jazz, then hip-hop, King Krule's distinct cockney accent paired with his loose guitar tones becomes hard to pin to a genre. The OOZ is a very specific collection of sounds that could not possibly belong to another. With poetics stemming from a nimble and fragile place on songs like Slush Puppy or Czech One, to delivery so rude and brash on songs like Half Man Half Shark and Emergency Blimp, King Krule displays all recesses of emotion on his third studio album.

You'll rage and then you'll cry to some of the most beautiful noises you've ever heard with this album. Although King Krule's slurred delivery is occasionally hard to make up, the feeling is easily translated from the wide array of instrumentation used on The OOZ. King Krule has no issue with incorporating sounds not typically associated with each other. On the lead single Dum Surfer, a saxophone and electric guitar share a solo. There are disorienting and whirring synths appearing throughout the entirety of the project, all along other worldly instruments such as vibraphones, marimbas, and bongos.

The album lyrically is cryptic and disassociative. In Lonely Blue the verses act as chapters of a failed relationship and the agony both characters are met with. The language King Krule uses to detail this narrative is often tough to decipher yet so fitting, which sparks imagery I've really only ever felt with a slim number of great artists. On A Slide In (New Drugs), the protagonist is sickly self-described as someone with bleached skin and bleeding gums. The pictures painted with these words are usually bleak, cold, and occasionally dystopian.

Clocking in at an hour and six minutes, every single song hits for me and nothing feels like filler. The closer is gorgeous and the album couldn't complete in a more perfect way. Being so cohesive its hard not to let the rest of the project ring out once you start playing a song that's mid tracklist. It's just one of those albums you'd have a hard time disputing someone who thinks is a perfect album because of its pure artistic ambition and execution. The OOZ is one of my favorite projects of the year, and hasn't left my rotation since the day it came out.

Favorite Tracks: Slush Puppy, Emergency Blimp, Vidual

2. IGLOOGHOST - Neō Wax Bloom

If Pale Eyes is like the boarding and lift of a roller coaster, then the rest of the 38 minutes in the album is a non-stop, accelerating, descension. I don't even want to begin to think about how this album was made, it's filled to the brim with eclectic but meticulously chosen sounds. Neō Wax Bloom is like straight auditory adrenaline, with each track being a different flavor of a rush.

This album is fucking nuts. I already had a lot to say about it in my New Music Monday review of it, but at the time I certainly could not have digested how spectacular Neō Wax Bloom is. It's seriously a portal into another realm or dimension, I've truly never heard anything like this album before. When I heard the saxophone layered on top of the gigantically paced Super Ink Burst for the first time, I knew this was one of the best albums of the year. And I was only a few minutes into the album. The album doesn't doesn't decrease in quality at all from the already majestic opening and I think White Gum is the most impressive technical achievement in sound of 2017. That song makes me feel like I just mainlined the cocaine from Kate Moss's personal stash and I'm ready to ride an elephant into warfare. The programming involved in IGLOOGHOST's debut album is literally insane, because I actually don't think you could be mentally right in the head to accomplish what is done here. There are essentially no loops throughout the entire album with a new layer or interval being inaugurated every bar.

I referenced it in my review, but no one describes the album better than its producer himself. "MY FIRST ALBUM ‘NEŌ WAX BLOOM’ IS OUT NOW! A MULTICOLOR HYPERSPEED OPERA ABOUT LITTLE GLOWING BEINGS MADE OF GUM." the self-proclaimed "11YR OL MALE BOY" announces via Twitter. Neō Wax Bloom is one of the few times I've experienced an artist build a world with their music, with the album being its soundtrack. I really, really, really recommend you listen to this album because the first listen is the closest you can get to seeing a new color or leaving this universe.

Favorite Tracks: Super Ink Burst, White Gum, Infinite Mint

1. BROCKHAMPTON - SATURATION Trilogy

When I look back at 2017, it'll be hard to not be reminded of BROCKHAMPTON. In March, I saw Kevin Abstract live on his solo tour for American Boyfriend the same day he dropped the Runner short film. In May they took over the internet by dropping a single every week for five weeks building anticipation for their debut album SATURATION. In June it dropped, with worldwide acclaim leaving everyone wondering who gave these boys are. In July I binge watched all the episodes of American Boyband which documented Kevin's tour. In August they ruled again with five more singles and another album. In September I saw them live in one of the best concerts I've ever been to (catch me in the green hoodie at about 2:42). In December they ended their wild streak by dropping the closer to the SATURATION era, SATURATION III.

I know it's kinda cheating including all three as one, but I didn't really feel like writing a Top 10 with 30% of the albums being by BROCKHAMPTON. I've never done it, but if listened to back to back to back I think the trilogy would equate greater than the sum of its parts. It's held together thematically by the SKITs, SCENEs, and CINEMAs, and while all members of the group grow and progress, they still hold onto that SATURATION sound they came out with in June. Most of that SATURATION sound is thanks to the group's producers, Romil Hemnani and Q3 (Jabari Manwa & Kiko Merley), with Romil handling production on almost every single song. Listening to SATURATION I then SATURATION III, it's so obvious there's a gap between the two, but it's still so obviously BROCKHAMPTON it's incredible one could grow so much yet manage to not stray at all. This development isn't limited to the producers, but with the vocalists, specifically Matt Champion, JOBA, and Merlyn Wood stepping it up as well.

"I got pipe dreams of crack rocks and stripper poles." would be a hell of an opening line for a book that won the Coretta Scott King award. But it's the first thing heard on this trilogy, spat by Ameer's grizzly voice over Romil's intimidating basslines. The run of tracks after that is ridiculous. STAR, featuring production only from Jabari Manwa, is just stupid phat. Over those thick, booming grooves, Dom, Ameer, and Kevin all spit 16s about celebrities. The weird combo of such a hard beat paired with lines so goofy yet delivered seriously is just epic. Even though SATURATION II is my least favorite of the three, it'd still be one of my favorite albums of the year if just released by itself. The opening verse from Kevin on GUMMY kinda sets the table for the entire album. Matt's hyperspeed flow on JELLO is so unreal I actually thought they just sped it up until I experienced it live. You could throw SWEET on loop forever and never get sick of it. After all this I didn't know if BROCKHAMPTON had it in them again for a third record, but they really came through the hardest with the SATURATION finale. Romil's production demolished all expectations I had for SATURATION III, with beats sounding like they should have came from a hip-hop veteran, rather than a 22-year-old. JOHNNY, BLEACH, SISTER, RENTAL, are really perfect and are some of the best tracks the boyband has ever put out.

A lot of personal appeal to BROCKHAMPTON for me is that list of reasons you can't accomplish what BROCKHAMPTON is doing is short. I own pretty much the same camera all their videos are shot on, and I've stumbled upon random drumkits online that have sounds Romil has used. This DIY approach to music is so inspiring and having their product result in all sorts of praise is something really cool. I've met all the members of the boyband and they're just weird awkward kids who got to tour the nation cuz of their art. These are guys I could have went to High School with and I wouldn't have been surprised. But what is surprising is the music, films, clothing, and whatever else these guys decide to get into next. I'd get BROCKHAMPTON health insurance if it was offered. Time after time this collective has brought it, and I don't doubt that next year I'll be talking just as high about TEAM EFFORT as I do about SATURATION.

Favorite Tracks: STAR, JUNKY, BLEACH

#music

0 notes

tongpoo · 7 years ago

Text

With the podcast on hold, my education in stasis, and the overwhelming amount of music I’ve been listening to in this time of boredom, I decided the revival of this would be fun. My writing skills also need a bit of flexing.

Smokepurpp - Deadstar

In this age of “SoundCloud rappers”, there’s really only one person who stands out, and it’s Ronny J. I don’t feel any more pull to listen to a Lil Xan than I do to a Trippie Redd, or any other rapper in that same tier. Basically, the only reason to listen to these types of projects are for the beats, and Ronny J is the one constantly reigning supreme.

On Smokepurpp’s Deadstar, the rapper’s first effort, Smokepurpp appears as somewhat of a SoundCloud rap shapeshifter. Songs like Krispy Kreme sound like the rapper’s best impersonation of Playboi Carti, and Hold It seems like what Lil Uzi Vert would sound like with Purpp’s voice. Lyrically, this album doesn’t do anything for me. You could switch lyrics from one beat to another and I don’t think it would make any difference. At least with artists like Playboi Carti, Lil Pump, or X, I find their vocals to bring some sort of energy to the track, where Purpp just falls into the absolute laziest of his peers.

Other than the instrumentals, the features are probably the best thing on this project. Giving a break to Purpp’s vocals which don’t stand out apart from each other and are easy to get lost during, Chief Keef, Yo Gotti, Lil Pump, Juicy J, and DRAM all make appearances. The OG of this generation, Chief Keef, comes through with a surprisingly coherent verse in the first track, and DRAM appears with one of the most fun and energetic verses on the entire project.

My favorite songs from this project are solely based on how the beats sound. While Ronny J handles majority of the production on the front half, Harry Fraud appears on the back half producing one of the most interesting songs of this project. This album is made for turning up, and don’t expect much more while listening.

Favorites: Audi., OK, Count Up

Overall: 4/10

Injury Reserve - Drive It Like It’s Stolen

There’s no telling what you’re going to hear when you press play on an Injury Reserve song. The trio from Tempe consists of two emcees, Ritchie with a T, Stepa J. Groggs, and an eclectic producer, Parker Corey. On their junior effort Drive It Like It’s Stolen, the three hit you full force with what they’re about with no room for filler.

After being labeled as a “jazz rap” group, Injury Reserve made sure to denounce that with the first bar of their previous album, Floss, saying “This ain’t jazz rap, this that spaz rap”. They’ve proved they’re capable of that and much more since that, with their innovative and almost experimental production from Parker Corey which is comparable to none. Boom (X3) takes an elegant, yet haunting piano sample and flips it into one of the more aggressive tracks they’ve ever created. On this song, Ritchie With a T delivers a very in-your-face hook along with a verse where his voice is almost unrecognizable next to the chorus. Ritchie fills the role as the hook writer appearing on all but one hook on the album. The track he does not perform the hook for is North Pole which features Austin Feinstein of the band Slow Hollows. Probably my favorite of the album, the song holds an incredibly bleak tone, where Stepa J Groggs’ verse details his struggles with addiction and regrets. Ritchie’s verse is a phone call to his deceased friend, wishing that he could talk to him and him sharing memories through the one-way call. The beat has this dreary, chopped, crooning which drones on for the entirety of the song and adds to the cold atmosphere of the song.

Drive It Like It’s Stolen is great, showing nothing but progression from all members. Because it clocks in at only 23 minutes, part of me wishes they would have put this towards a larger and more fleshed release, But I’m not allowed to be greedy due to the three fantastic projects they’ve put out in just two years. Because of such a short runtime, I definitely suggest everyone who is into rap music to give this project a listen as it’s always fun to hear new ways artists find to bend genres.

Favorites: Boom (X3), North Pole, Chin up (Outro)

Overall: 7/10

Kamasi Washington - Harmony of Difference

If The Epic was the journey, then Harmony of Difference is the destination. If you aren’t familiar with the album I speak of, you’re at least probably unknowingly familiar with the artist. If you’ve listened to Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp a Butterfly, Kamasi Washington is the backbone of the soul and jazz which the project is driven by. He can be found performing saxophone on track nine and arranging strings throughout the entire Grammy award winning album. Later that year, Kamasi Washington and his eleven-piece band released a three hour album titled The Epic.

Harmony of Difference isn’t quite as bold as The Epic, but certainly fitting as a follow-up. Whereas most tracks on Kamasi’s previous album could easily rack up to double digits in runtime, only one on here surpasses five minutes. This track being Truth, the obvious stand out as it wonderfully landscapes itself over thirteen minutes with sounds like guitars, a vibraphone, intelligent percussion, and of course a saxophone which all sprinkle itself so perfectly across this track. Other standouts include Integrity which showcase drumming reminiscent of a 70′s samba track, and the opening track Desire, which transitions seamlessly into its next track, Humility.

If he hadn’t on his debut, Kamasi Washington has proved himself a jazz powerhouse with Harmony of Difference, and although I struggle to find and enjoy contemporary jazz, I will always consider myself a fan of Kamasi and look out for his further efforts.

Favorites: Desire, Integrity, Truth

Overall: 8/10

IGLOOGHOST - Neō Wax Bloom

From the second Super Ink Burst drops, it’s a full sprint all the way to the end. The high energy Neō Wax Bloom is the mysterious IGLOOGHOST’s first album, and he describes it via Twitter as “A MULTICOLOR HYPERSPEED OPERA ABOUT LITTLE GLOWING BEINGS MADE OF GUM”. Which quite honestly makes a ton of sense once listened to the project.

It’s actually sort of incredible what’s accomplished on this record, and the sound is hard to compare to. There isn’t really any way to articulate a new “sound”, something IGLOOGHOST uses many of. The album is like improv bebop jazz, but using instruments from the 23rd century. And on the track White Gum, a high pitched voice in the background raps over these beats with a flow that transcends space and time. The entire album sounds like the music that plays during a video game when you only have 10 seconds left, but you’re on MDMA and you’re playing the game in virtual reality. IGLOOGHOST also plants traditional instrumentation within his vision of sound, with a wonderfully executed saxophone sparsely activating throughout Super Ink Burst.

Neō Wax Bloom is one of those things that really removes you from your moment in time, and takes you to another. It’s like reverse nostalgia. This one is for all who are fascinated by beat and rhythm.

Favorites: Super Ink Burst, White Gum, Infinite Mint

Overall: 8/10

Miley Cyrus - Younger Now

Miley Cyrus has always sat in a place where it’s like she’s trying, and is almost able to reach the top of the world, but somehow can’t touch it. Whether it was when she was just fourteen and spent half a decade as Hannah Montana, or the years she tried to escape that image, or the next few years spent appropriating African-American culture and twerking her way into stardom, or now, as she tries to achieve worldwide acclaim as a honky tonk superstar.

But even though the image is country, the music is not. It’s this weird mash of pop and the Nashville sound, and I can’t help but think the album would be better if it would commit to either side. And it’s not that I think she’s talentless, it’s just I think there’s confusion with what to do with it. Because of the amount of image shifts it also makes her look like a puppet being played off as a brand, and not a true artist. There are glimmers of light throughout the project, with the lead single Malibu which manages to balance the yin and yang the best of the two sounds Miley attempts to play off, and the final track, Inspired, which has the least pop backing than any other song on the album.

I can’t help but dislike the majority of this project, but similar to how I felt about Bangerz, there are a couple tracks I truly do enjoy. Enter Younger Now with hesitation, but don’t be surprised when you find a few songs catchy.

Favorites: Malibu, She’s Not Him, Inspired

Overall: 3/10

#newmusicmonday

0 notes