“A story of life and death, happiness, and disappointment; the reincarnation of a man that once was. An attempt at living while suffocating - devastated, yet determined to survive, waking up to a sudden realisation that this is not life... This is quicksand.
"hearts&anvils"
- Shaun Klaas
Rapper/producer Shaun Klaas drops his long anticipated project, after previously serving us his “a day’s worth of wounds” tape, where he fuses trap elements with indie sensibilities and an introspective exploration of the inner workings of his mind.
“It's always nice to feel like you got a piece of an artist's personality and traits through music.
This new Shaun Klaas is evident of that and the production is impeccable”- Isaac Wilson
And we all can agree that the production is indeed impeccable. With this project being completed in 𝟷𝟺𝟻𝚑𝟹𝟾𝚖 sounding like a slice of paradise itself.
Similarly, the title track ‘Faucet Interlude’ draws attention to ineffective coping mechanisms with the line "they say love is the answer but look at where that shit’s got me. Breathe for me". More than expressing vulnerability, the song reveals Shaun Klaas’s mindstate on this album: viewing his artistic expression as cathartic. "As an artist I am here not only to make good music; my obligation is to express, and I have found solace in helping others through this form of expression. I am here for your souls, I am here for you all to give me a chance at changing your lives through music.” he reveals. Fittingly, Shaun centers his emotions on tracks like ‘Orange Leaf’ and ‘Holy Manzi’. With several guest features on the project including Mlamli Zembeta and King Com, which proves a perfect fold for Shaun Klaas's nonchalant voice and delivery. Truly encompassing the feeling of cold hard love.
Wine might be banned but the discussion through the grapevines is very much in demand. You may ask who is responsible for this intoxicating supply…
Coming at the world with an energy and frankness South African Hip-Hop has not experienced in recent memory, the EP ‘WHITE NOIZE’ is fast becoming one of the most acclaimed projects in the country.
We assume the sonic journey with track number one carrying the title of the EP, “WHITE NOIZE”, loosely defined as; “a constant background noise, especially one that drowns out other sounds”. A fitting title, encapsulating the grace and voracity these artists display their work. Throughout the duration of the opening track the term ”Siyaphambili’, “we are moving forward” is constantly repeated and absorbed into the listeners subconscious like a mantra. It becomes apparent that the artists are making their intentions as clear as the crystal blue skies (see track 4 ‘CERULEAN’) that they are aiming for greater heights, forging ever forward and never looking back. They are hungry and have a point to prove (to themselves, I understood and not to the world). The cover art speaks volumes too - as if they are telling the listeners that they have arrived (cue the grand entrance) and that they are not here to make a mark, but rather, to leave a scar. With this, the in-your-face and fearless sound is present, combined with an abrasive masculine energy but still very much creative in energy.
Edging into an up-tempo sound I gather a Rockstar vibration elicited at 3:09 minutes into the song. The deep “omnispheric” sound effect of the bass, combined with the kick drums and snares, give a sort of rocking-chair feeling and with this, the new-school Hip-Hop sound emerges but with the elements of a classic Hip-Hop sound simultaneously present.
The rhyme scheme is professional, the delivery is far from monotonous and the flows chosen throughout the duration of the song are impeccable. I can deeply appreciate all the sonic variations present throughout the song, it takes me on a melodic experience when listening through. The lyrics and flow compliment the beat perfectly. The lyrics sort of crescendo with the tempo as the song progresses. The deep touches of distorted bass add to the Rockstar energy emitted from the track (at 2:44 minutes an example of this is showcased) which graciously assists in complementing the sound and lyrical aspects as a whole collective. Technical execution is upheld, the artist’s vocal performance coupled with the producer’s finely executed mix, make a cohesive and retail ready song. A quality of sound capable of competing amongst commercial cats of the industry.
The energy from track one carries through to ‘INTERLUDE 4 YOU’. The drive and ambition is still very prevalent here but the artists showcase a softer side of their sound. They are writing for the mothers. A theme that becomes prevalent in this body of work is that, the artists are growing to realize that what they are doing is bigger than them, that their influence reaches beyond the bounds of their circle, and they have an impact larger than what they once thought. As much as I hear a ferocious flame in-your-face attitude within their voices, I attach a deep sense of gratitude to it as well.
There is a definite sense of familiarity throughout track 1 and 2: the drumming patterns are consistent even though the overall sound is different between the two songs - the producer successfully blends the message, identical instruments, sounds and patterns to give a contrasting but cohesive catalog of songs in the EP. This highlights the fine technical ability possessed by the producer and the remarkable storytelling prowess of the artists throughout this production. The switch up at 1:11 minutes into the song, coupled with the robotic/distortion effect on the vocals bring in the next artist perfectly. The drums and bass in this specific section compliment this effect really well too. The predominant use of the filtered and robotic effect on the background vocals with a touch of reverb serve as a key characteristic for each verse to really stand out (this is shared throughout the EP). The melodic vocals that are present have been carefully crafted and engineered to suit the levels of the instrumental. This song in its totality sets the tone for the Hip-Hop/R&B-infused section we experience in the latter half of the EP.
Floating into the third track, ‘TAKE FLIGHT’ opens up with atmospheric pads and hard hitting drums before the robust vocals and hook enter followed by a smooth verse with a melodic approach to his delivery. The song discusses a sense of belonging that can be achieved when accepting your circumstances. It appears the artists find belonging in elevation of all kinds, they are not afraid of aiming for unbelievable heights and take often take it “higher than a kite”, waking up and chasing the sun is the motto here, carpe diem, if you will. I also get the feeling that they do not follow the status quo and with this, they are able to dictate the pace of their dreams and chase it accordingly. The old adage of “what goes up, must come down” seems to be done away with in this song, the laws of gravity are bent here and I am reminded that what goes up does not necessarily have to come down if you have a skyrocket mentality.
When it comes to the production, a masterful transition occurs at 1:58 minutes into the song. The central deep/extraterrestrial sounding bass comes alive once again, especially during the transition, it sounds sonically pleasing and blended in the mix well. The outro makes the song even more memorable.
The title of each song carries much meaning and when it comes to a body of work, most times even more so. ‘CERULEAN’, that which is a shade of blue, a deep blue in color like the clear sky aligns and rounds up this body of work in a blissful way.
The track transitions well from track 3. The song speaks to the struggles of addiction, the loss of a dear friend, love, self-discovery and finally, to prosperity. “Better days are coming” are the lyrics molding this song and I can hear the artists passion, as mentioned previously, I confidently am of the view they know that what they are doing is bigger than them, and they are still humble enough to realize that when those better days come and that they take their dreams to the heights that for now seem unimaginable, those deep blue skies the naked eye cannot comprehend, that they will still value and appreciate the help of those that got them to where they are.
The production, mixing, arrangement and mastering are incredibly hard to criticize here. The engineer brings a technique modern Hip-Hop has not seen much in the last decade and that is allowing the instrumental to run through without vocals accompanying it in sections this makes the experience much more memorable. This is prevalent throughout the project and in this song I hear it once again at 2:59. the vocal sample coupled with the bass, and reverse elements work well with the top drums, giving the song an oceanic feel. Another contrast is apparent in this song and I am left asking myself do I want to chase my dreams in the sky or fall victim to my addictions that are so easy to access in this ocean… either way, they took me on an introspective journey, questioning myself and reflecting, while vibing out to the instrumental, smooth vocal delivery and catchy hook. The bass seems to be a tad amplified at the end of the back end of the song at 4:54 and that takes me back to the feeling I experienced at 2:59.
My final comments on this body of work: ‘WHITE NOIZE’ inebriated me, ‘INTERLUDE 4 YOU’ calmed my spirit, ‘TAKE FLIGHT’ elevated me once again and ‘CERCULEAN’ reminded me to keep my head to the skies and my knees to the ground. I sum up this EP in two words - Gratitude and Hunger.
Published and Edited by Midnight Ohmnia
