This album had a hype for some reason when I put it on the list of hip-hop records to listen to. After months, I didn't remember what all that hype was for. After listening to it, I didn't understand it. And now, months after playing the record a few times, I have no idea.
The album is conceived by Navy Blue, pseudonym of the skater / model / artist Sage Elsesser, and is composed of conscious lyrics recited with a decent flow, with a syncopated and slow delivery, sometimes smooth, over jazzy rhythms: the final result wants to be experimental, but it's not, it's slightly irregular, but nothing that would shock you. The Navy Blue bars hold on to a rather pleasant production: when the MC relies on the samples, he finds his best results, in the first part with the female soul samples accompanying the listener, while in the second part it's the sax to dominate the soundscape. Without these sounds, the record leans towards mediocrity, despite the artist's laudable lyricism: songs like "Hari Kari" with an almost tribal drum and "22!" with the snare drum, they suffer.
Honest album, recommended for jazz rap fans, but don't believe the hype.
Highlights: "With Sage", dope cut. "In Good Hands". Simple rhythm, jazzy boom bap, good sample, rapper's slow smoothness syncopated delivery, then Ka rips the cut. "Ode2Mylove". Brilliant sax sample from Miles Davis (I guess), drumless rhythm, spoken-sung delivery, light and distant background piano. "Love Is...".
Rating: 6.5/10.
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