Collaborative extended play between Niagara Falls, NY rapper Alfonzo "Jamal Gasol" Maye and Los Angeles producer duo DirtyDiggs. The tape consists of five songs and a couple of guests, Flashius Clayton and Planet Asia.
The EP is opened by "The Arrival": it features a dark, but generic jazzy rhythm, decent delivery of Jamal Gasol, almost devoid of personality on the mic, adds nothing to the rhythm. The next track is lighter, velvety simple jazzy beat, gloomy sad piano, the rhythm can be easily killed, but Gasol chooses a syncopated, slow, mumble, lazy delivery, a quite boring song comes out, what a shame. "Cookies" is another great dark jazzy rhythm, noir, vibes noir, it seems taken from a seventies movie, from the scene in which the detective returns home alone after saving the murderer's wife, now she's in the hospital to be treated cared for by the acquired stepsister, the rhythm is that, it's exactly that. Then there's Gasol, I don't even want to comment on it anymore, I already know how the track will go. Luckily, there's Planet Asia, also. Practically a veteran. He sees the detective on the other side of the sidewalk walking under the street lights of the empty city in a Humphrey Bogart style, reaches him and takes him to the bar to have a last beer before the end credits, props to him.
"El Pollo Loco w / Sza" is another movie, it's another thing. It must be said that DirtyDiggs has done a fantastic job here, this guy has a criminal talent. Criminal. It's a pity that this tape remains a bit obscured amid the endless 4/20 releases. Fine so, maybe. In any case, the producer places a tight and light dark jazzy beat that would be perfect for Benny the Butcher & 38 Spesh, it's a fantastic beat that can be killed by a gangsta / mafioso East Coast performer, instead there are Gasol and Clayton, whose performances here don't thrill me as much as the rhythm. Closes "Fiesta OG", a cut that wants to be cheerful, but the beatmaker offers a jazzy rhythm with a sad female soul sample looped tight in the background, Gasol offers a fluid verse and worthily rides this rhythm.
Rating: 5/10.
No comments:
Post a Comment