Indie Review of Tell A Tale: A Gratitude To God
Good Friday.
How does one box with God, when arms fall short and comprehension is too small? When one realises that he is but a dust particle in a galaxy of stars, yet has the bestowed power to change the cosmos, then the Forces that be have to honoured. I am elated to review a work of art, in my books, that is Tell A Tale: A Gratitude to God by Mo' Touch. I slept on the beat tape for a few days till I gave it a listen. I tossed and turned with the question of what to expect since I have heard Mo' Touch's production before and I was a bit nervous because analysing music that challenges all the good music I have heard before is not a pleasant task. However I was utterly surprised. I gave it a final listen while I was barefooted, drinking green tea, overlooking Johustleburg from my 25th floor balcony and I began to see people as stories, passing by and going about their day. With that said, I offer you my thoughts as commentary of the story that is Mo' Touch's Tale A Tale: A Gratitude To God.
First on the 10 track offering is To-Turn which sounds like a spring morning in Utopia, with modest tones like water fountain in a zen garden & birds chipping to warm rays of sunshine, it got me wondering in haste, regardless of being just a tad above 2 minutes. What a way to begin a beat tape, I imagine it as something Bonobo would do or how Claude Challe would start his mixes. It is subliminal escapism. To God comes in second with a nostalgic Groove Theory sample and part of me wanted to hear Amel Larrieux come in because I knew R n B before Hip Hop instead I caught myself singing along to the hymn "uJesu uno bubele" in IsiXhosa which means God is merciful to me and I get the sentiments through the beat. I mean one cannot be self-taught and be able to produce such music without reference to who made it possible through his grace. Bismillah. It's like a epiphany and the following track after, titled For The Moments, is with regards to that. I can hear Mo' Touch responding to a question of if he didn't sample how would his music sound with this beat. With that, from this beat henceforth I will cease to refer to him as a hip hop beat maker because his sound does not fit within hip hop or any other genre for that matter but under the umbrella that is music. "In Time" embodies what sounds like ?uest Love's production on Dear God 2.0 from The Roots' How I got over album, but I didn't fancy much of the first part of the beat because I was left begging for last part not to end. The highlight of the beat tape comes in the middle, flawless, sax(y) and layered with all the elements that make tea taste better,the sax, keys and drums make "Of Your Divine Realm" Mo' Touch's magnum opus. Quote me on that. Blazo lays the key foundation to the most addictive track on the tape, You Have Showered, it makes you want to raise your head and appreciate the world you see and repeat it for your listening pleasure. The 7th track "Up Me Now" had an uncluttered feel to it like For The Moments but let me down due to the fact that most beats thus far didn't sound alike & that was the bar that was set. Track 8 & 9 also climbed the band wagon and it sounded the same until the last beat. "Gratitude" was the fat lady who should not sing as it felt a bit too soon and the vocals at the end are something you have to hear for yourself. Besides I like how he incorporated his loved ones in the music from his friend Bafana Mtini to his younger sister.
In conclusion, Tell A Tale: A Gratitude To God beat tape deserves repeated listening. It is very much like a hymn book. Full of meaning and soul.It is out of the ordinary and incomparable. Perhaps that is it's short fall, you decide. One thing I know is this beat tape is a reflection of Mo' Touch and since we are made in God's image it is for anyone and everyone.
God bless.