Ethereal hip hop to think about philosophy to...
7th February 2020
ALC
My Rating:
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7.6
/10
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REVIEW
A more than solid rap album that is somewhat let down by the man delivering the bars himself, the intriguing lyricist Boldly James. After all, an album with beats as spiralling and majestic as this is always going to grab my attention, the spacey synths contributing to an atmosphere that boasts both a mystic flair and a gritty mood achieved through the grounding, dusty drums. This atmosphere is so accomplished, there are points on the album that I'm tempted to award this a higher rating purely on a musical basis, but this is a rap album and of course it is essential for the flows and lyrics to be taken into account.
I think perhaps the problem I have is one of comparisons. In a world with artists big and small delivering phenomenal narratives on life on the streets, from Kendrick in the mainstream to Ché Noir in the underground and Quelle Chris in the critic sphere, it becomes difficult to stand out and provide a unique perspective, which is exactly what's holding Boldly James back here. Now, that's not to say that his lyrics have no merit, as on many of the songs he does tell interesting stories from across all the usual tropes of rap music, and what's more impressive is his flows, particularly on the album's first few songs.
Overall, I want to make sure that regardless of the factors holding this album back, there is more than enough to qualify this as a more than worthwhile record, and at the very least it's a fantastic album to vibe to.
TRACK RATINGS (/10)
1. Carruth - 7
2. Giant Slide - 9
3. Surf & Turf - 9
4. Run-Ins - 8
5. Scrape the Bowel - 6
6. Pinto - 7
7. Slow Roll - 8
8. S.N.O.R.T. - 9
9. Grey October - 6
10. Mustard - 4
11. Speed Demon Freestyle - 8
12. Phone Bill - 8
BREAKDOWN
Ambition: 7
Atmosphere: 10
Catchiness/Enjoyability: 7
Content/Ideas: 7
Emotion/Engaging: 7
Execution: 8
Production: 9
Structure: 8
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Lyrics: 6
Vocals/Flows: 7
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Total: 76
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