acesotonic | music

because i am a pro musician and my opinion about music is so important

[acesotonic]

acesotonic reviews | NIKI: “wanna take this downtown?”

the second music review on this blog is dedicated to one of my favourite artists to ever exist - Southeast Asian 88rising queen: NIKI. in her EP, “wanna take this downtown?”, we discover an interesting musical and lyrical atmosphere that is both cohesive and distinctly personal.

NIKI’s debut EP “Zephyr” was packed with lovely R&B tunes, soulful and seductive lyrics as well as some carefree vibes. In “wanna take this downtown?”, she gets more emotional and sensitive. Like the album cover, she bares her feelings even more than she has before. I thought “Zephyr” was already quite a pleasant invitation into her heart and mind. But this new EP opens new doors. And it is pleasant from start to finish, with zero inaccessibility on a listener-level. Let’s dive in.

The first song lowkey, which was a pre-release, unfurls a very pretty and fairy-like introduction. Using light and muted mallet sounds, it serves as a good contrast to the bass synth that comes in as soon as she starts to sing. The percussion in the introduction is delicate and gives the pretty instrumental a bounce. Her lyrics are immediately intimate, which suits the simple yet gentle music. After some piano chords, the song transitions into a chorus full of harmonies. The hook is addictive, repeating “lowkey” rhythmically with a lovely descending melody. In the first half of the second chorus, the drum pattern is seized and suspends the music in the air. NIKI’s vocals begin to soar and you can almost feel the pearly gates of heaven opening... or something like that. Then, the drums come back in together with another mallet sound. This time, the mallets create a staccato counter-melody, with an airy cadence. It is my favourite part of this song because it is playful and attractive. The EP begins very strong already, although my only gripe is that it should have been longer (as with most of NIKI’s discography... but this will pop up again).

Next, urs also begins similarly with fairy-like mallets with a digitised filter. This is a good way for the EP to be immediately cohesive. With light and block-like snaps to introduce a rhythm, the song picks up its pace. NIKI’s harmonies and graceful vocal melodies strengthen it, carrying her emotions of hurt and confusion about whether someone she loves knows that she is willing to give herself to them. She always uses great bass synths in her music, so I am not surprised that the one in this track melds so well with all the other elements. There are these marbly sound effects which act as atmospheric hi-hats, creating a wide empty space in the listener’s ear. This is an effective way to reflect NIKI’s loneliness and vulnerability, which shows in the chorus’ lyrics. The song ends cleanly, but again I feel that it can be longer. Furthermore, I was alright with the drum pattern in the first chorus being in a dance hall sequence. I felt that if there was a switch-up somewhere in the middle or an alternate drum pattern altogether, the track could have juiced out the vocal melodies even more than how it already appears.

The EP moves on with move! with a compelling beginning that prevents giving listeners a consistent tempo. A funky staccato synth is mixed in with NIKI’s low-pitched harmonies, which creates a flirtatious atmosphere - and this foreshadows the lyrics. The clean snaps give a good bounce to the song, and her voice singing “there’s something in the water” is charming, which comes in handy throughout the song’s themes of wanting to be in-charge and mischievous in an already healthy relationship. She even grunts it in the second verse, which is so cheeky and identifiable in NIKI’s real life personality. The pre-chorus features muted bendy synths, which then lead into the chorus: beautifully explosive and sporadic. The clearer bendy synths in the chorus remind me of an alternative pop kind of synthesiser sample. In the second verse and pre-chorus, there are horn-like synths sprinkled across which adds even more character to move!, as if it is a second voice complementing NIKI’s lyrics. I cannot get enough of the bendy funky pop-y chords in the chorus. It is interestingly almost off-pitch but still carries the vocal melodies perfectly. The song ends with the chorus, which really emphasises its sinfully short length. There is so much more unexplored power in the chorus, that could have bled out into a bridge. Nevertheless, move! is a special but very much NIKI piece.

Last but definitely not least, odds gives us a similar introduction that we found in urs with a singular synthesised sound. The difference here is the sound in odds has no reverb on it at all. It is solid and static. It sounds like a phone dial, which sort of creates an image of NIKI talking (singing) to someone on the other end of the line. it is an odd (pun intended) beginning to the song, but still attention-grabbing because of the potential concept it has and NIKI’s personal lyrics. Then, the track continues with a very slow riser and staccato bass synth, and progresses into the chorus. This is where the song gets striking to my ears. The chorus is in a lower register compared to what NIKI sings in most of the time! The low register gives the song a deep colouring, across this record and NIKI’s whole discography. It is full of attitude especially when she sings about how people have come to her for a relationship after they have broken up with someone else... basically reducing her to a “rebound”. Verse 2 plays around with NIKI’s vocals by bending it, while she mockingly calls someone a “mind-game mastermind”. The lyrics, once again, go onto another level of personal and truthful as she describes her desire for a genuine love despite her fame and success. And then we go into the bridge which is watered down slightly, supported by airy vocal harmonies and a soft drum set. The track becomes lyrically conversational, which becomes relatable for listeners. This is also a testament to NIKI’s cool personality, and it shines through even more as the last chorus hits with an extra push on the 808s. Again, I wish it was longer. Still, odds is an enjoyable listen.

Conclusion

NIKI’s 2nd EP “wanna take this downtown?” delivers with consistent tracks filled with personal lyrics, emotional vocal melodies and harmonies, and cohesive instrumentations. Although all 4 tracks could have been structurally extended, and even sonically fleshed out, NIKI has always kept a high standard in her music even with her previous successful songs that fall just below 3 minutes. She has matured in this album as an artist and undoubtedly as a person. I look forward to a full album, and my expectations will never be less than excellent when it comes to NIKI.

8.5/10

[acesotonic]

acesotonic reviews | Logic: “Confessions of a Dangerous Mind”

hello everyone! welcome to the first album review on this blog. i have always been reviewing music from all walks of culture, languages and ‘genres’ on my instagram, but i figured putting it on an actual blog would be way neater. and because my opinion is so important, it’s more accessible in this format. so without further ado, enjoy!

Logic’s latest 16-track release, “Confessions of a Dangerous Mind”, had me feeling all sorts of emotions; and not all of them for the better. Some tracks were so good on their own, and some tracks made me question, “Why is this here?”. 16 tracks is long. Especially when Logic himself kept emphasising how any upcoming album would be his last... then proceeds to release another album. That makes the 16 tracks seem way longer than it should.

We begin with the first song that takes the name of the album title. The instrumental begins with a pleasant melody, and reminds you that this is indeed a Logic project. When he begins to rap, his flow is calm and emotional which grounds the listeners into this track at its most foundational level. He gets sentimental and sensitive about the album’s main themes, success and its demons that haunt the mind. But the snare comes off at some points as disruptive; an odd alien semi-grunge hit. The chorus gets lyrically cheesy (which will pop up again later), especially when Logic starts to sing (this too). I would think it was a decent start to the album, but more weak than it was strong.

The next track Homicide, a pre-release featuring Eminem, remains my favourite off of this album. Logic’s rap is rapid-fire, his lyrics are hilarious and his rhyme is impeccable. He switches into characters with his voice, which makes the song prominent. The hook is playing its role as a hook, and transitions into Eminem’s verse cooly. The older rapper’s flow felt fresh, a mix of modern styles but still very much nostalgic sounding with old school sandwich-rhyme schemes. The ending is still odd to me - funny - but does not reduce the quality of the track in any way. Eminem’s feature was a good one, fully fleshed out and utilised. An addictive track indeed. A total repeat.

Unfortunately, Wannabe and clickbait take the album to a downturn when it was just starting to climb. Wannabe feels out of place and almost lacked in the content it intended to have. Similarly, clickbait suffers from cohesive and juicy lyrics. Some bars that had references were fun, but that was only 2 or 4. There’s a cheesiness that is starting to pop up in these weaker tracks, either through Logic’s serious attempts at vocalising melodies or other ways.

The next piece Mama/Show Love that features YBN Cordae does not veer off from passable. The saving grace of this track’s first portion was YBN’s rap - with great content and rhyme. When the beat switches to the Show Love section, Logic’s rap feels more magnetic compared to the Mama section. This makes me feel as if the first half of this piece was not necessary. The melody of the instrumental felt a bit cheesy compared to the previous sounds as well.

It is at this point listening to Out of Sight that I realised I was getting bored. “ALrEaDy?!”. Yes. And I don’t like that. The instrumental does not have anything special to it, almost too consistent with no risk (which is contrary to the album’s themes). There is no strong hook and leads me to question the purpose of the track in this record. The next song Pardon My Ego is slightly better with some unique sampling in the beginning. Logic’s flow and some of the funny lyrics make the track’s safety net. But again, the instrumental sounds repetitive after awhile. There is no lasting impact on my ears and mind.

I started to get excited again for the next track COMMANDO, but only because it features G-Eazy. Many have said that his rap has no personality, but many have also said that he has a distinct voice and accent. I believe in the latter. The instrumental starts to sound more trendy, which I thought made sense since it featured a new generation rapper. G-Eazy had the more interesting flow compared to Logic; fast, rhyme-filled, funny and had cool switch-ups. However... it was too short. Logic’s powerless segment in the beginning made up the bulk of the track, which made COMMANDO almost forgettable.

The next song Icy also has a feature, by Gucci Mane. Logic in the beginning hook uses a high-pitched voice that comes off as comedic, but his carefree and funny lyrics make up for it ever so slightly. Gucci’s segment has a mediocre delivery, but some creative lyrics. Again, it is a very short feature which could’ve expanded to make the song more entertaining. The hook starts to get a little annoying towards the end of the song, though the overall instrumental is quite cool. In the following track Still Ballin featuring Wiz Khalifa, the roles are reversed. Logic’s flow was straightforward with clean lyrics, while Wiz’s bars were basic and fundamentally useless to the song’s theme of hustling. This is when I rather the feature not be... well... featured. Though the song speaks of something important in the life of a reckless artist, the hook comes off as lazy and does not make the song important to the album lineup.

The following track Cocaine again gets me questioning the purpose of it in the record. The instrumental is your typical arpeggio piano-based hip hop beat which is nothing I’ve not heard before. Nevertheless, Logic’s lyrics in the second half of the song get very personal and emotional. It delves into the reality that drugs and poison in music sell better than real and traumatic stories. The 808s laid out across the track becomes progressively crazy and is the most distinct aspect of the instrumental. These 2 things have made Cocaine a tolerable piece.

At the 12th track Limitless, the album almost becomes irredeemable. The record could have stopped at 10 or 11 tracks... and when the 12th one is not of high quality, a listener’s stamina drops. This track is sonically boring, and Logic’s sudden singing comes off as out of tune to my ears. The hook was bland with a repetition of “you the man”, and the existence of this whole song in the album is vague. Although, the album starts to pick up a little bit in Keanu Reeves. Logic’s flow is not stellar, he sounds bored sometimes, and the flute sound in the instrumental feels random. The piece may seem forgettable, but some of the self-referential lyrics are entertaining enough for me to keep listening. Also, the second half of the song is where his flow picks up and reminds me again of Logic’s true potential.

With 4 tracks left, Don’t Be Afraid To Be Different features Will Smith who takes a very short first verse that is lyrically featureless. The chorus has a weird-sounding synth that does nothing to amp up the track’s quality. It is also so loud during Logic’s verse that I can barely be immersed in his part. The hook is overly repetitive and does not help to make the track cohesive, like it is one whole element. But what makes this track decent is the instrumental in general, with a slight callback to It Takes Two by Rob Base and DJ EZ Rock; with the rugged-sounding shakers and drum pattern. Will’s flow, while plain, was cute and nostalgic with references to his Bel Air days. It kept a part of the album a bit more interesting and colourful, to reflect the album art minimally.

As the record comes to an end, it hits hard and suddenly gives us pretty amazing final pieces. BOBBY features sampling with an attention-grabbing intro and background ad-libs chanting “Bobby!”. Logic’s lyrics are raunchy and whimsical, showing off his confidence and presenting himself as an original entity. He gets very personal about his cultural identity as well, but masks it with the funky beat that gives listeners a slightly uneasy feeling being able to access his “dangerous mind”. I do wish the drums went back to a consistent 4/4 beat after awhile and stopped going into half-time, because I was yearning for more speed in this up-beat sampling. Featuring his father’s lament about how great his son is is a sweet touch, and makes the song even more personal and unique. It adds more character to the record, even though at an arrangement stand-point, BOBBY feels oddly placed.

Finally, we reach Lost In Translation. It begins with a wistful 2000s R&B vibe with electric piano and a bit of organ rotations in the background. The bass is soulful. The drum set is muted and very much old school, taking you way back to the times of Ashanti and Ja Rule. Then almost 50 seconds into the track, the beat switches up. It still retains the soul and blues elements in the bass and electric piano. The drums, however, have become more hip hop and so is the drum pattern. I guess it is to keep the track melded into the mainly hip hop album... but I wouldn’t mind a full-on cool R&B-reminiscent outro. And then, the beat switches up for a second time. The bass has become much stronger, and electric piano melodies are funkier. Logic’s flow is so good, with catchy rhyme schemes and edgy references to Hannibal Lecter’s passion for human flesh. His rap is on-going and fresh. Suddenly though, a Japanese narrator starts to speak. I have not found an accurate translation of her segment but one thing’s for sure, she says “Rattpack, motherf***er”. The general gist of her part translates to “Thank you very much for your help” (Logic_301). This could be referring to how this album grapples with themes that may seem distant and unaccessible to most of Logic’s listeners, but uniting them all as music-lovers at the echo of his label. But why Japanese? The purpose is still unknown - at least to me. Some have argued that this is cultural appropriation, but I will leave this to Logic himself to explain. Overall though, an entertaining track with a pleasant and atmospheric finish.

Conclusion

“Confessions of a Dangerous Mind” sinks deeper into an abyss of half-starred quality at almost every track. While very few from the many 16 selections of songs stand out to be great, like Homicide and BOBBY, majority of the album barely skims the surface of “passable”. We expected to see a raw and unedited form of Logic on this record. Instead, it came off as unsealed and unready to be released into the wild. The good songs are very strong, while the weak songs are absolutely underwhelming.

4.75/10