Karriem Riggins- Alone Together Album Review



Artist: Karriem Riggins
Album: Alone Together
Genre: Instrumental Hip-hop/Turntabilism

7.2/10




I'm writing this review like how Karriem Riggins wrote this album...

Intro: big horn hits, frantic vocal sample

Round the Outside: repeated synth lines

From Detroit/Belle Isle: slow down, shoutout, scat singing, bass suddenly increases

Moogy Foog It: fond of this wonky bass tone, guero,

Ooooaaaa: chorus, repetitive synth

Stadium Rock: large tom sounds, scary vocal samples, latin-hip-hop drum beat, echoey, flute sample, very J dilla

Alto Flute: fast-paced bass line, drops out, very choppy with a low octave flute

Orbitz: repeated vocal sample, with banging triangle

Up: all over the place bass synth, creeping in on the as and the 32^nd note pickups

Forward Motion: cool sample of a r&b tune

Esperanza: Peruvian influence, tight strings,

Africa: overblown snare and bass, the African influence is there but not as explicit as the song name implies

Harpsichord session: what do you think it is?

Water: spoken word about jazz over jazz-hop, intro into Double Trouble

Double Trouble: very cool, little flute lines and bells brighten it up

A7 Mix: exciting yet smooth

Ding Dong Bells: nice, spoken word break, kind of intelligible

Belle Isle Reprise: faster, a bit messier

Daooooh!!: latin pattern on the triangle, a wee bit repetitive

Tom Toms: quieter, warmer, soulful, jazzy

Because: choppy soul sample combined with funky synth groove, guitar solo

F_rd Jingle: wah guitar, return of flute, cut time funk, fade out into acappela gospel bullshit

Boy Is Doin’ It Right: darker, creepy quiet vocal sample,

Summer madness S.A.: latin, cool weird vocals

Back in Brazil: wonky, minimal

Live at Bert’s: great drumming, hand drums, guitar, supposed to simulate a live experience I guess.

No Way: a litte more fliying lotus-y

6-4: a break and a continuation of the themes in No Way

I Need Love: I NEED YO LOOOOVOIIIIN, fade out into cool guitar line

K. Riffins: sexy guitar lead, techno out of nowhere, interview with inventor of Moog, “let’s hear it”

Voyager/5000: wonkiness returns, bass tones act as chords behind the riff

Bring that Beat Back: trip-hop influence

Matador: chill as well

J Dilla the Greatest: great drums, cool lines

Fave Tracks: Moogy Foog It, Water, Double Trouble, Live at Bert's, J Dilla the Greatest

Earl Sweatshirt: Chum Track Review

Earl Sweatshirt has been viewed as the Boy Wonder of Odd Future.  With the release of the mixtape EARL, Earl Sweatshirt set a new standard for "horrorcore".  In fact his mixtape was the best thing to ever come out of OFWGTKA.  Now Earl is back with a brand new track and a statement.  Those looking for themes of rape, murder, drugs and death will be thoroughly disappointed with this track and the upcoming album.  On "Chum" a low distorted bass tone pulsates alongside a choppy snare pattern introduced by a subdued yelp, while Earl uncovers a harrowing and honest introspection on his father: "It's probably been 12 years since my father left/Left me fatherless/And I just used to say "I hate him" in dishonest jest/When honestly I miss this nigga, like when i was six", his life in OF: "We were the pottymouth posse crash the party and dip/With all belongings then toss 'em out to the audience" and finally just on growing up: "Someting sinister to it/Pendulum swinging slower, degenerate moving/Through the city with criminal stealth, welcome to enemy turf".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SG1q1fBLNG0

Macklemore and Ryan Lewis: The Heist Review

"Shit it was only 99 cents!"

Artist: Macklemore and Ryan Lewis
Album: The Heist
Genre: Northwest/Conscious Hip-hop

7.1/10

     

    Macklemore (Mackleh-more?  Mackel-more?) is a conscious rapper, and a man who wants his message to be heard loud and clear.  Ryan Lewis is a producer fond of live instrumentation and a certain percussion instrument with 88 keys.  Together they have crafted one of the cleanest hip-hop records this year, but the question is: is it TOO clean?

     The record starts with a bang.  The beat echoes and acts as a pedestal for Macklemore to confidently and heroically belt out his verses, and the chorus reverberates as Macklemore “welcomes us to The Heist”.  “Can’t Hold Us” kicks up the fun another notch, with piano chords banging, quarter note snare hits pushing, and brass wailing.  “Thrift Shop”, already establishing itself with a hilarious video, incorporates an extremely catchy chorus with a fun and inventive sax line and Macklemore’s rants about getting laid in a dollar store outfit.  “Thin Line” brings it down to tell a failure-tinged love story; it’s most interesting aspect being the use of a dial tone as a chord.  Buffalo Madonna’s loud-mouthed bridge did not match the tone of the song, however.  The next track, “Same Love”, was another track that was well known.  With it’s strong advocacy of gay marriage and support for the LGBTQ community, “Same Love” proved to be a very important song.  It’s a subject that is usually avoided in the rap world, and such vehement support from such a popular rapper could have much more of an effect that people might think.  It helps that the song is fantastic as well.  The mournful piano and airy timbre combined with an extremely well-sung hook raised this simple ballad-rap to new heights.  But after “Same Love”, Macklemore and Ryan Lewis seem to run out of fresh ideas.  Ryan’s piano fetish permeates the remaining songs, and Macklemore incorporates a similar rhythm for many of his verses.  What salvages this, however, are the guest spots.  Ab-soul and Schoolboy Q especially bring a flair that injects the latter half of the album with life.

    It’s key to note that this album has two distinct artists: Ryan Lewis and Macklemore.  This is not just Macklemore’s album.  Macklemore devotes his attention to his lyrics, letting Ryan handle the production.  The problem that arises, however, is that sometimes it’s just a bit too divisive.  Ryan’s instrumental track “Bombom”, while a decent track, doesn’t fit with the album.  Lyrically, Macklemore’s writing style lacks diversity, opting for emotional strength with the occasional fun line.  The track “Gold” was the only truly bad song on the record.  He uses the word “gold” around 40 times over the course of 4 minutes.  It was kind of really annoying.

     Overall, this is not a bad effort at all.  The first half of this album charms with some awesome poppy catchy hooks, conscious lyrics, and fresh production.  The tactics used do get a bit stale, but they’re still decent-to-good through the rest of the album.  Far worse things have debuted at the number 2 spot on the Billboard 200.  7.1 heists pulled off out of 10.

FAVE TRACKS: Ten Thousand Hours, Thrift Shop, Same Love, White Walls

Death Grips: No Love Deep Web

Artist: Death Grips
Album: NO LOVE DEEP WEB
Genre: Experimental-Noise Hip-hop

8.4/10

    

    This is the censored version of the album art.  The actual art would get me shunned by every single person who reads this review.  If you wish to see it, google “No Love Deep Web” with the safesearch off.

    On “Deep Web” a sample proclaims that “people are trying to hear what I’m saying”.  It’s a funny line considering how MC Ride’s intense delivery can be indistinguishable.  With NO LOVE DEEP WEB Death Grips have released two dark, intense, paranoid, and yet clearly different records.  NO LOVE DEEP WEB leaves the flurry of production and sampling behind for something stripped down, bass-heavy, far less catchy, and focused on the vocals.

     On “Come up and get me” a frantic, discordant bass line accents in certain places, making the song feel like an odd-time signature.  MC Ride delivers one of the most harrowed performances of his career, his voice emanating fear, anger, and excitement, with his voice cracking and breaking at every line.  “Lil boy” breaks out in the first hook of the record with a cool “burn through it/I’m not taking turns through it”.  The drums syncopate with the synth in a descending bass/drum line.  “No Love” sounds just as it’s name would suggest, with echoing bass hits and shouted distant cries.  Late in the track a tortured MC Ride screams “CHOOSE THIS LIFE YOU’RE ON YOUR OWN!”  “Black Dice” leaves the hooks behind relying on the trance-like synth to capture the listener.  “World of Dogs” features a quiet and surprisingly monotone “It’s all suicide.  It’s all suicide.  It’s all suicide.”  “Lock your doors” continues with this dark atmospheric tonality.  “Whammy” returns to hook territory with a vocal sample that recalls “Punk Weight” from The Money Store.  Distorted vocals and “wa-wa-wa-wa-WHAMMY” bring the vocals to the forefront.  “Hunger Games” really gets to show Zach Hill’s drumming skills.  It’s snare heavy with very heavy bass.  “Deep Web” seems like the most schizophrenic tune on the record, with MC Ride trading off lyrics with himself.  “Stockton”’s beat somewhat underwhelms, but the hook is interesting “I’m bouuuncin’ WOOP”.  “Bass rattle stars out the sky” is pretty self-explanatory, and is the most danceable track of the album.  The record ends with a powerful and radically different song, “Artificial death in the west”.  On this song, the frantic and angry vocals are brought down to new lows.  MC Ride delivers his lyrics in a clear and sorrowful format, with haunting tones permeating and mixing with the vocals in a way that both frightens and inspires.

    Lyrically MC Ride still has it.  While he continues to deliver lines that are rooted in the negative emotions of mankind, he does so in a thought-provoking way.  On “Come up and get me” the topic of suicide is tackled: “I’m in an eight high abandoned building/No daylight one midnight lamp lit twenty-four seven/Murdered out windows two exits/Street or nosedive to the next life in seconds”.  Sexuality and violence meld in the terrifying “Artificial death in the west”: “G-O-D- she shoot pussy through your chest/You die” and “In fishnet wet guise of gimp horizon slit bled like my wrist I suck it dry/which nipples mine read the signs still can’t decide/at your own risk at your own risk/don’t touch me bitch don’t touch me bitch”  The shock value remains as well, with the soon-to-be-infamous line “I’m the coat hanger in your man’s vagina” on Deep Web.

    Overall this record is something completely fresh and different from both Exmilitary and The Money Store and only proves that Death Grips are one of the greatest modern acts.  With varied and experimental productions, insane lyrics, and an intensity matched by no other in hip-hop, Death Grips continues to impress.  This album is great, but it does lack some of the punches on The Money Store.  The tracks somewhat lack variety of tone, but the consistence is still good.  Some tracks left me desiring more, like “Stockton” and “Pop”, and I really wanted to hear Zach Hill go nuts.  But the final product still impresses me.  8.4 inches out of 10.

FAVE TRACKS: Come up and get me, Lil boy, No Love, Whammy, Hunger Games, Deep Web, Artificial death in the west

G.O.O.D. Music- Cruel Summer Review


Album: Cruel Summer
Artist: Many, many, many artists
Genre: Hip-hop

6.2/10






G.O.O.D Music?  More like O.K.A.Y. music amirite?

I’m so sorry.

     In all seriousness, this collaborative album from the members of Kanye West’s G.O.O.D. (Getting Out Our Dreams) Music label has been highly anticipated, treating us to some fantastic singles.  With a whopping 20 producers and over 20 artists appearing on the 54 minute record, one would think it would be too big to fail, but that’s exactly where this album falls short.  With some standout tracks, some mediocre tracks, and one disgustingly awful track, Cruel Summer reveals its greatest weakness, cohesiveness.

     The album starts out with the grandiose and triumphant “To the World” featuring famous urinator R. Kelly on a fantastic hook and verse.  The production is powerful, with booming drums and symphonic tones throughout.  Kanye West busts out some rhymes about his wealth: “I’m just trying to protect my stacks/Mitt Romney don’t pay no tax/MITT ROMNEY DON’T PAY NO TAX”.  The song acts as a pretty great intro to an album that is essentially just a celebration of success.  Up next is the jam of the fucking summer, “Clique”.  Hit-Boy takes on production, keeping the bass high and the synths dark.  Big Sean busts out the best work of his entire career, writing the hook and first verse.  His rhymes and flows fluctuate and is filled with humor.  Jay-Z and Kanye kill it as well.  The third track is the one we all know and love: “Mercy”.  With a cryptic intro and staggering amount of verses, “Mercy” stands out by highlighting each rapper’s unique style.  Big Sean has puns galore: “Make that ass drop/That’s an ass-quake”.  2 Chainz lazily busts out rhymes about being crossed.  And Kanye underwhelms, probably choosing to take the back seat in order to not embarrass his apprentices.  “New God Flow” features Pusha T is aggressive and powerful: “I believe there’s a God above me/I’m just the god of everything else”.  GHOSTFACE FUCKING KILLAH is on the track: “I got soccer moms paying for cock/Asians get it from behind while they cleanin’ they wok”.  The hook leaves something to be desired though, and Kanye breaks out a military chant.  At this point in the album, the tracks drop in quality considerably.  “The Morning” suffers from some sloppy production and some out-of-place vocoder.  “Cold” utilizes a club-beat and some more DJ Khaled dance-rap bullshit.  “Higher” [icks up a little with some great syncopated hits and soulful hooks.  “Sin City“ is hugely dissonant, coming together only for Cyhi’s verse.  “The One” rehashes the same type of hook used throughout this album.  The pop-soul aesthetic gets old fast, and especially on this track the hooks and verses are just too different.  Trap rap like Big Sean and 2 Chainz shouldn’t be backed up by an sorrowful hook.  “Bliss” goes into half-time and John Legend gets a chance to show off his crazy vocal chops.  “Don’t Like” is forgettable due to its dirty production, frequent drop-outs, and lack of memorable lines or flows.

     And then there’s “Creepers”.  Jesus fucking Christ Kid Cudi what the fuck are you doing?  Kanye gave Kid Cudi a track all by himself, and it does not pay off at all.  The drums are much much too loud and his flow is messy.  The lyrics sound like they were made up on the spot by a guy who can’t freestyle: “If I had one wish it would be for more wishes/Fuck trying to make it rhyme”.  Wow.

    Overall this album started off strong.  Great hooks, glossy production, some interesting flows, but it soon got old.  The same type of hook, the same string backup, the hit-or-miss verses all hurt the album.  There were just too many people with too much say in how this album was to be executed.  I would listen to everything except Creepers and Don’t Like, because every other song has certain redeeming qualities and different people may appreciate it more than I can. 6.2 cruel summers out of 10

The Weeknd: Echoes of Silence Mixtape Review

It's a face, a dark dark face

Album: Echoes of Silence
Artist: The Weeknd
Genre: Downtempo R&B

7.4/10

   
“Echoes of Silence”, but wait, silence can’t echo!  How surreal.

    But in all honesty the name ‘Echoes of Silence’ is an apt one for The Weeknd’s third mixtape.  The tones and themes percolate and ripple through the lyrics, vocal delivery, and production.

    Admittedly, there’s not much going on in this mixtape, but that’s precisely the point.  By cutting out flashy synths, textbook drum beats, and rehashed R&B vocal tactics, The Weeknd pulls off some truly harrowing and interesting songs, while leaving some others to be consumed by the weaknesses of downtempo music.  The record opens up with “D.D.”, a cover of Michael Jackson’s “Dirty Diana”, and it doesn’t fail to impress.  With atmospheric winds swirl, The Weeknd begins his signature sorrowful vocal delivery.  The drums come in loud with an almost tribal quality.  These production elements will continue to show up throughout the record.  “Motreal” introduces another prevalent element, group vocals.  The Weeknd will sing multiple parts to be overdubbed throughout the album, allowing the vocals to become a powerful force.  The track transitions into the xylophone-heavy “Outside”.  ‘XO/The Host” begins with what sounds eerily similar to the string overture of A Clockwork Orange.  The drums continue to employ the same technique, forgoing a “groove” in order to implement and more jagged style.  “Initiation” features some awesome production, meddling with the pitches of The Weeknd’s voice to create a terrifying and harrowing atmosphere.  That combined with a more straightforward, groove-oriented beat equates to a killer song.  “Same Old Song” returns to downtempo, allowing a quiet bass line to lead the song.  “The Fall” continues with this aestheic.  The closer “Echoes of Silence” features a solitary piano and an ever-so-slightly sadder delivery, perhaps to signify the direction The Weeknd is taking musically.

     When an album chooses the more reserved musical route, more focus is diverted to the lyrics.  “Montreal” has The Weeknd shouting out to his native land in his native tongue.  “Outside” tells the story of a man so sexually frustrated that he’ll be some girl’s rebound fuck, and make sure she never rebound fucks again: “I’ll let you show me his moves/Let you do what he taught you/Let you reminisce how you used to do”.  On most of these tracks The Weeknd forgets about poetry to just get a message across, not dropping any “sick rhymes”.  However, “XO/The Host” features a standout lyric: “Waken up with most of ya side wet/Another room, you hear your mom cryin’/Cuz she found your bag stuffed in the laundry/And the Bacardi from the last party”.  “Same Old Song” features a very excited Juciy J yelling about throwing around 30,000 dollars away at a strip club, a very strong contrast to the tones presented in the rest of the record.  “Echoes of Silence” ends the album with a regretful “No.  No.  No.  No.  No.”

    Overall there’s still some awesome vocal work here.  The Weeknd is a more than capable singer, and the less-is-more songwriting/production style pays off for a good amount of the album.  Some parts had me wondering if anything was going to happen however, and there isn’t much diversity in terms of sound.  It’s still solid.  7.4 Echoes out of 10.

FAVE SONGS: D.D., XO/The Host, Initiation, Echoes of Silence

TNGHT: EP Review


EP: TNGHT
Artist: TNGHT
Genre: Bass/Instrumental Hip-hop

8.9/10

     Electronic Dance Music.  It demands respect.  Well, maybe “begs” would be a better word.  When an entire genre of music is based on the singular goal of getting you to shake your hips, how can a “patrician” with “superior” music taste take it seriously.  Well dammit if TNGHT, the collaboration between producers Hudson Mohawk and Lunice, isn’t going to try and make them.  The new duo’s EP is a bright, danceable, scary, and musically interesting group of songs that cram a whole lot of shit in 15 minutes.

      The EP opens up with “Top Floor”, a brooding intro.  Dark synths meld with what sounds like Bollywood in Hell.  The beat is strong, but not overwhelming.  The most important part about this track is that there’s NO DROP.  Fans of Skrillex-type bass music need not apply.  The next track “Goooo” is louder, with a descending synth line and snare hits.  The name of the track comes from the vocal samples that run rampant, almost like hooks, in the track.  The snare hits are reinforced with the vocal sample that keep the track interesting and “slappin’”.  The next track is the apex of the EP, smack dab in the middle.  It doesn’t hesitate, repeating a loud and powerful “REACHIN’ FO’ HIGH-REACHIN’ FO’ HIGH” hook that suddenly cuts out to let some heavy brass come in.  The vocals return, in both the original and lower octaves.  The real fun is in the drum programming though, with samples, fills, and beats all overlapping to provide some danceable chaos.  “Bugg’n” introduces some even cooler samples: a baby squealing and a bubble popping, on the off-beats as a strong four-on-the-floor beat keeps the track grounded.  It’s both laid back and funky, and is probably the most down-to-earth track.  The EP ends with the cacophony of “Easy Easy”.  The track begins with a strong ‘GOGOGOGO” before introducing a backwards synth hook that will return in different keys and octaves throughout the track.  The last minute and a half seem to combine all the elements introduced in previous tracks: crazy drums, samples, and bass lines, in this organized mess/collision.

      Separate these tracks make for some awesome dance tracks.  They work to serve that surface-level job EDM has.  However, what really makes this EP great is that it’s well-crafted and MUSICAL.  New ideas and sounds are introduced.  This is not just some “OMIGOD THAT DROP WAS SO FILTHY OMFMDAFDSJK” EP.  This is not just some simple drum program with a couple synths layered over it, it truly is musical.  I challenge anyone who says “real music is made with instruments” to listen to this EP, with all its complexities and layers and musicality, and try to say that statement once again.  8.9 out of 10.

FAVE TRACKS:  Gooo, Higher Ground, Buggin', Easy Easy