ALBUM REVIEW: CerVon Campbell – “The Ways I Feel in the Dark” (2020)

“The Ways I Feel in the Dark” is the newest album from South Carolina R&B/neo-soul singer, rapper and stand-up comedian CerVon Campbell. A follow-up to 2018’s “When the Moon Became a Sunset”, this album finds CerVon re-visiting familiar topics like love, fame, heartbreak and depression.

 

On the subject of his previous album, its title is referenced at the bookend of the opening track “Validation” which incorporates a genuinely beautiful duet between CerVon and singer/acoustic guitarist Sydney Schizzano. Its opening refrain in particular – “10:51….51….51 / I have nothing, have no one….have no one…. to go to” – peaked my interest, as it promised (at first) a dark, moody, 17-track listening experience from “Validation” onwards. Instead, what the album delivers is more akin to a personal nighttime playlist: a selection of songs for your nocturnal listening pleasure to listen to – in solace.

 

The overarching theme of the album is emotional solitude, with a majority of tracks centered on feeling alone, both in and out of a relationship. Sometimes this loneliness translates into motivation to become successful, if only for a finite period of time, like on the song “Howboutnow?” with its catchy, mantra-like hook (“I got money, I got fame/ from success, they know my name/ I done changed / What does it take / Take for you to miss me?”) That single-minded focus can go as far as distancing yourself from those unconcerned for your life and future, like on the rap banger (one of a few on the album) “Emptyfriends”.

 

Even in a relationship, emotional solitude can leave a negative, lasting impact, like on the tracks “Lovebug” and “Shalom (A Sad Song to Smile to) where CerVon wallows over his failure to keep an already-failing relationship afloat and doubts his own place in his significant other’s life. Of course, it can lead to one blaming the other for the failed relationship, or in the case of the bluesy, guitar-assisted track “Gomn” (which easily has the most scornful, confrontational lyrics on the album), putting the blame somewhat on oneself (“You think you too bad, but bitch, I’m worse”). And it’s this failure that not even money, fame, cheap thrills and drugs can overcome, which is evident on the album’s melancholic, self-loathing climax “Voices”.

 

Thankfully, there are a few upbeat, laid-back tracks on “The Ways I Feel in the Dark” which help lighten the emotional load of the album whilst exploring its theme in witty, usually cynical, ways. “Dreamgirl”, for example, finds CerVon in the early stages of a new relationship with a few disagreements here and there (like that one part where he gets mad when his girlfriend-to-be pauses the movie he’s watching) and self-aware moments where he questions his self-satisfaction in the relationship in advance (“I beat the p***y up, but I never hit a woman / But I sure look good in my…..wife beater”). Over the bouncy, tropical house-tinged beat of “Illuminati”, CerVon charismatically beckons his girl to give her “heart, soul and mind” over to him, hence the song’s admittedly clever title.

 

Interestingly, the album concludes with “Rest”, a hazy, hypnotic track where CerVon prays for his deceased loved ones. A startling contrast to “Emptyfriends” where he arrogantly rapped “Ain’t no friendship, ain’t no relations”, this track finds CerVon in a state of solace, where not only he thinks about others (though departed) in a genuine, meaningful way, but he expresses his hope to be with them one day. For a project based on nocturnal thoughts based on oneself, “Rest” is a true high point on the album and a solid way to bring it to a close.

 

As for flaws, the album does have a few issues with regards to production and album sequencing, the former I assume is unintentional. The beeps on the second half of “Validation” (which honestly felt like placeholders of some sort) almost derailed what was already a fantastic duet. On songs like “Volcanoes N’ Antarctica” and the aforementioned “Gomn”, a brief gap or two in-between sung lines are removed, disrupting the flow of the song’s rhythms.  In terms of album sequencing, I felt the hip-hop based tracks “Emptyfriends”, “Danger!!!” (one of the BEST tracks on this project, thanks to its intense beat and energetic delivery from CerVon) and “Boujee” were pushed to the first half of the album, and could have been spaced out further into the second half, giving them more breathing room in-between the R&B cuts.

 

Flaws aside, I still wound up enjoying “The Ways I Feel in the Dark” for what it was. CerVon’s penchant for emotionally-driven songwriting, concepts and lyrical deliveries shines throughout this project, along with the excellent guest performances from Sydney Schizzano and Vitakiri (who appears on the 90s R&B-evoking track “Secret”) and some ear-grabbing, appropriately moody production. If you’re looking for a laid-back, R&B/neo-soul album (with a few dashes of head-nodding hip hop) to vibe with and chill out to, I highly recommend giving this album a listen.

 

OVERALL RATING: Strong 3 ½ to a light 4 out of 5 stars.

BESS TRACKS: Validation, Howboutnow?, Untitled, Emptyfriends, Lovebug, Danger!!!, Boujee, Dreamgirl, Secret, Illuminati, Cover Up, Gomn, Voices, Rest

LEAST BESS TRACKS: Shalom (A Sad Song to Smile To), Grey, Volcanoes N’ Antarctica

 

 

EP REVIEW: Andrew D. Meyer – Goa Variations (2020)

“Goa Variations” is the latest EP from soprano saxophonist / composer Andrew D. Meyer. Previously, I mentioned his collaborative work on the EXCELLENT 4-suite jazz EP “Awake!” from jazz guitarist Jake Eddy. On this 5-track project however, he handles everything on his own, relying on his trusty soprano saxophone, Korg Volca and Korg Minilogue synthesizers, and his hands (more on that in a bit) to craft some genuinely mesmerizing, psychedelic trance music.

 

As stated on Andrew’s website, “Goa Variations” was inspired by the early works of minimal music pioneers Terry Riley, Steve Reich and Phillip Glass, the latter who composed arguably one of the most influential film scores for the 1985 biopic “Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters”. Andrew takes certain techniques from their minimalist production playbooks (like repetition and short musical phrases) and applies them to the synth-based electronic sound effects, droning basslines and saxophone riffs embodied in this EP.

 

The theme of repetition is even noticeable in the track listing, with its titles “Goa Variation I, II, III, IV and V”. And at first glance, you might think this EP contains five versions of the same song, similar to album singles with remixes from different producers or DJs. What we do get are five compositions which may not explicitly reference a melody or musical phrase from each other (with the exception of a particular track) but embody a consistent vibe throughout the project’s runtime. The vibe I got from it personally was the feeling of being in a new place (in this case, Goa, the Indian state whose trance sub-genre clearly inspired this EP), having my mind stimulated through different activities, and undergoing a range of emotions from uncertainty and concern to euphoria and peace.

 

The EP kicks off with “Goa Variation I”, a panoramic, 10 minute-long, mid-tempo soundscape complete with house-like synths, moody sax riffs and hand percussion interwoven and book-ended into the track. “Goa Variation II” has the sonic feel of a 80s sci-fi movie soundtrack, with its retro synths, dramatic sax melodies, buzzing drones and overall nocturnal tone. The following track is my favourite on this EP, thanks to its dancehall-inspired bassline (the much-lauded Playground Riddim came to mind), rhythmic hand claps, upbeat sax riffs and sci-fi sound effects. You can almost imagine this song playing in some neon-lit nightclub with Andrew at center stage.

 

On “Goa Variation IV”, the upbeat vibe of the previous track transitions to a slower, meditative one with its spacey sound effects, bluesy sax and gentle, meandering pace.  The theme of repetition returns on “Goa Variation V” where, over a climactic, near-transcendental instrumental, we hear slightly slower interpolations of the sax riff and synths from the second variation and the hand clap melody and synths of the first variation.

 

Overall, I found myself enjoying “Goa Variations” way more than I expected. The one-man production behind this EP is quite impressive, and his ability to craft mentally and emotionally captivating trance instrumentals, whilst incorporating his signature soprano sax, is nothing short of admirable. If you’re a fan of electronic, jazz, trance and/or chill-out music, or if you need your mind musically stimulated for roughly 40 minutes, I highly recommend giving this EP a listen!

 

 OVERALL RATING: Decent 4 out of 5 stars.

 

 

 

 

 

 

ALBUM REVIEW: Kni_iRd – Holy Mech (2019)

 

“Holy Mech” is the debut album from post-punk/hip hop band Kni_iRd (pronounced ‘nerd’). A 23-track concept album created by rapper/vocalist Moggle_Breath and composer/rapper DRAGH.0STv2 (Drago for short), “Holy Mech” tells the story of Mangus Farkoglume – or should I say his two alter egos performed by Kni_iRd themselves – and his chaotic, violent, absurd and darkly hilarious journey to becoming the “knight of the dweebs”, “paladin of the dorks” and “the champion of the nerds”.

 

And just when you thought the album’s premise read like the text found at the back of a Blu-Ray for a 1980s cult film, it gets weirder…..and better! The story begins with a gang of bullies brutally beating up the protagonist, stealing his Nintendo GameBoy and leaving him for dead. He begs for help from his imaginary friend Malikaih Morris, who responds by offering him bracers with an unknown power inside them. After donning the bracers, Mangus transforms into a muscle-bound brute called Moggle_Breath who seeks revenge on his attackers. However, Mangus’ second alter-ego, Drago (the gas-mask-wearing brains to Moggle_Breath’s brawn), has a more nefarious scheme in mind: the acquisition of the Holy Mech, a long-lost pilotable robot which they’ll use to annihilate their foes and anyone else who gets in their way.

 

Now you’re probably thinking that elaboration read like the description of an episode of a Saturday morning cartoon. With a premise like that, how could anyone take this album seriously? The answer is: you’re not supposed to. You’re supposed to be entertained! And not only does “Holy Mech” deliver on the high entertainment value suggested by its premise, but as a whole, it’s one of the most over-the-top, off-the-wall and unique musical projects you’ll ever hear – and in my opinion, one of the best!

 

After the opening skit “Dying Breath”, where Mangus transforms into Kni_iRd, the album kicks off with the lead single “Laughing Instensely”. With its abrasive guitar, hard-hitting drums, and confrontational lyrics by Moggle_Breath (his rhythmic, villainous laugh in the intro instantly reminded me of hip hop legend RZA’s exaggerated laugh on “Tearz” off the “Enter the Wu-Tang: 36 Chambers” album), this is the theme music to the dastardly duo of Moggle and Drago. Both the aggressive and foreboding tones of the album are exemplified in the track’s refrain (“This is what happens when you make a nerd laugh / This is what happens when you laugh at a nerd”) and its final line (“This is what happens when you make a nerd die…”).

 

If there is a recurring theme on “Holy Mech”, it’s the desire to escape reality, or become someone else entirely, through technology. Whether it’s the aforementioned “Dying Breath” or the title track where they activate the Holy Mech to do battle with their foes, the album continually puts its main characters through some sort of technology-based embrace or escape.

 

There’s even a section in Act 1 (yep, unlike your average movie, this album follows a four-act narrative structure) dedicated to video games, starting with “Koe Nah Mi Kode” (a reference to the famous cheat code imbedded into many Konami video games). Not only does this track have my FAVOURITE instrumental on the album with its “Metal Slug” vocal samples (I lost my SHIT when I first heard them on this track) and neck-snapping boom-bap beat, but it has one of Moggle’s most infectious vocal deliveries. The glitchy, multi-layered instrumental (one of a few on the album) “Citizen Stardust Wrath of Gonar” precedes a skit where Moggle “sucks” himself into an old-school video game. I won’t spoil what happens in the following track “Arcade Champion” but I will say it’s…..appropriately titled.

 

Act 2 explores the relationship between Moggle_Breath and DRAGH.0STv2, which starts off with their acts of mischief and mayhem on the song “Kooracha”, continues with Drago speaking/rapping for the first time on the album (and quite impressive, I must say) on the aptly-titled “Drago Speaks” and ends with Moggle’s inner conflict on the tracks “Surge Conversion” and “Breath Gon Sing”. This conflict springs from Moggle’s failed attempt to fully control Mangus’ mind, a main example of the album’s theme of technology-based embrace.

 

On the track “Act III: Fight!” Moggle finally succeeds in taking control of Magnus, and opts to celebrate this success by spitting some grimy bars with a grimy vocal delivery (which instantly reminded me of Flatbush Zombies’ own Meechy Darko) over a grimy beat that literally sounds like the music you’d hear in a futuristic, underground fight club. His self-adulation leads to self-doubt on the bookend of this track and in the following song “Moggles Lament” (easily the most ‘theatrical’ track on the album with its numerous beat switches and lyrical flows), self-realization as he figures out his next move, now that he has no more enemies to vanquish.

 

This leads to Moggle and Drago making their way into a data center (or as the title labels it, a “Data Bunker”), individually ‘sucking’ themselves into the mainframe of the main computer (on the EXCELLENT tracks “Bring Us To…” and “Microchip Metropolis”) and obtaining the coordinates to find the Holy Mech. After acquiring the titular robot, our two leads become unstoppable by the album’s final quarter. And while I won’t spoil what happens in the album’s closing track “Fin”, I can safely say its title is….appropriate.

 

While “Holy Mech” is reliant on numerous skits to support the weight of its incredibly dense and wildly unpredictable narrative, and there were a few songs that either ran a bit too long or too short, I was thoroughly impressed at and entertained by what I heard on this album. It managed to satisfy my fandom for ‘nerdy’ things like video games, comic books, weird cult movies from the 80s and 90s, sci-fi and anime, whilst telling the best nerd-turned-villainous-duo-seeking-revenge-with-high-tech-powers-and-weaponry story I never saw visualized in a movie in my entire life.

 

Kni_iRd stated that they spent 3 ½ years producing and recording this album – and it certainly shows. Both Moggle_Breath and DRAGH.0STv2 showcase stellar abilities behind the mic and boards, blending their hip hop and punk rock sensibilities with experimental, electronic-based, multi-layered production and ear-grabbing, animated, technically-proficient wordplay. This is one of the most creative records I’ve heard in a while, and I’m excited as hell to hear what this band do next. But in the meantime, if  you’re a fan of experimental music, appreciate imaginative narrative concepts and have a twisted sense of humour, then you’ll find lots to discover, decode and enjoy on this album.

 

OVERALL RATING: Light to decent 4 1/2 out of 5 stars.

BESS TRACKS: Laughing Instensely, Koe Nah Mi Kode, Citizen Stardust Wrath of Gonar, Arcade Champion, Kooracha, Drago Speaks, Act III: Fight!, Moggles Lament, Data Bunker, Bring Us To…., Microchip Metropolis, Stop Motion, Holy Mech

LEAST BESS TRACK: Breath Gon Sing

 

EP REVIEW: Terry Blade – Misery (Mastered for Headphones) (2020)

With one of the most creative titles for a musical recording THIS YEAR (Yes, I said it!), “Misery (Mastered for Headphones)” is the debut EP from Chicago-based R&B singer/ songwriter Terry Blade. Produced by Ryini Beats, Yondo Beats, Intrepid Creatives, Nabil Siotty, Matthew May and Terry Blade himself, this 6-track project centers on broken relationships and the efforts made to accept, rectify, conclude or move away from them.

 

The EP’s title isn’t merely a reference to advanced audio mastering, but also the aesthetic of “Misery”. The songwriting is deeply personal and introspective, the production is intentionally low-key and non-reliant on elaborate, glossy additions like horns and strings, and if you think about the usage of headphones, you’re either listening to music on your own or allowing someone else to hear what you’re listening to. Or in the case of “Misery”, allowing someone to experience the pain you feel in a relationship and your thoughts surrounding it.

 

“Misery” begins with the track “The Unloveable”, which brilliantly and beautifully establishes the personal, melancholy tone of this project. Backed by lush guitar chords, Terry presents himself as doubtful, insecure and fearful that he’ll never be worthy of finding true love. This track, along with the others on this EP, showcases Terry’s ability to craft some genuinely compelling and emotionally-resonant songs.

 

From vocals to production, the following track “The Mentally Ill” has the feel of a traditional soul ballad, but without the horns and strings one may expect from a song in that genre. Here, Terry continues his self-loathing from “The Unloveable” while warning his significant other and/or potential love interests not to get close to him (“Turn you to stone if you look in my eyes, forever more / The life in you dies – in my prison of war”).

 

Next up is “The Widow” which, conceptually, is easily the best track on “Misery”. On this song, Terry sings from the perspective of an individual who compares the pain of a decaying relationship with the grief felt from the death of a significant other. In addition to having the catchiest hook on the entire project, “The Widow” smartly shows the individual moving on despite the pain, as opposed to wallowing in self-pity (“Still, you’ll see me around / Heavy is the head that wears your crown / But now you’re gone”).

 

The following two tracks, “The Broken” and “The Other Side”, find Terry questioning himself and the relationship he’s in. On “The Broken”, he wonders if the love shown to him is genuine or would have been shown at all despite his many noticeable flaws. On the flip side, “The Other Side” explores the emotional duality of a relationship, particularly the mistrust and contempt lingering in it and the awareness among both parties of how they really feel about one another.

 

Closing off “Misery” is “Tick Tock (The Lonely)”, a song that not only issues a simple, life-altering ultimatum to the EP’s “unloveable” main character (leave or stay), but exposes him to the decaying relationship he helped shape throughout the entire project. Compared to the previous tracks, “Tick Tock (The Lonely)” is quite distinct, from the moody, nocturnal beat and appropriately dark lyrics (“You think the sunshine will replace the rain / But no amount of joy could overcome this pain”) to the title itself (this is the first on the EP with an alternate title attached to it). Terry even performs a trap-inspired double-time flow on this track, emphasizing the urgency and tension of this time-based situation. The genius of this song is two-fold as it leaves it up to the listener to decide who’s telling who to leave (“the unloveable” or “the widow”) and ultimately presents the framework of a toxic relationship (approaching its lowest point with that ultimatum) that, sadly, was doomed from the very beginning.

 

As you’ve gathered from my review, there’s a lot to take away from “Misery (Mastered for Headphones)”. To the untrained ear, this EP may seem like a collection of lovelorn, self-loathing ballads, but if you listen closely, you’ll find a fascinatingly dense exploration of the thoughts and feelings that can hold us back from finding true, worthwhile love. Terry’s impeccable vocals, backed by stellar production throughout, makes this project easy to listen to, despite its pensive yet relatable subject matter. If you’re a fan of R&B, soul music, blues and acoustic music, this is definitely worth checking out!

 

OVERALL RATING: Decent to strong 4 out of 5 stars.

BESS TRACKS: The Unloveable, The Mentally Ill, The Widow, The Broken, Tick Tock (The Lonely)

LEAST BESS TRACK: The Other Side

 

VISIT HIS WEBSITE AT www.terryblademusic.com

Short Film Review: Jim Ford – Small World (2020)

“Small World” is the newest short film from Massachusetts-born, New York City-based writer, director, actor, Screen Actors Guild nominee and occasional stuntman Jim Ford. I say occasional stuntman because while he has appeared in numerous TV shows and movies over the years (from CBS’ “Blue Bloods” and CW’s “Gossip Girls” to Dennis Dugan’s “Grown Ups 2” and Anthony Gallivan’s “Revenge of the Green Dragons”), he also served as a stunt performer and stunt double in movies and TV shows like “Knight and Day”, “Central Intelligence”, “Law & Order” and “The Sopranos”.

 

Quite recently, he handled stunt duty in a pivotal scene in Netflix’s epic crime drama “The Irishman” (one of my favourite movies of 2019, and dare I say, the 2010s), directed by Martin Scorsese. And while you may think Jim is the next stuntman-turned-filmmaker in line to unleash the next action movie extravaganza to the masses (a mere week ago at the time of this review, Netflix released “Extraction”, the debut feature from stuntman-turned-filmmaker Sam Hargrave), he’s an actor first and foremost.

 

Having done my research prior to watching “Small World” (thanks largely in part to his official website – jimford.com), I could tell Jim was a person who not only loved acting, but loved telling stories driven by competent acting. Most times, those stories (like the incredibly hilarious, award-winning shorts “Fight Scene” and “We Have Your Wife”, both available on the Forestfire Productions YouTube channel and Jim’s Vimeo page) will take all-too-familiar scenarios we’ve either experienced in real life or seen in a TV show / movie and carry them to unexpected yet ultimately logical conclusions.

 

Which leads us to “Small World”, which tells the simple story of a brief encounter between two Americans – John (played by Jim) and Katie (Hannah Sloat) at a bar in an unnamed country. If you’re familiar with romantic dramas like Richard Linklater’s “Before Sunrise” and Sofia Coppola’s “Lost in Translation”, you’ll either be pleased or a tad bit surprised to see how quickly John and Katie hit it off. Without getting into spoilers, things get a little too convenient when they realize how ‘similar’ they are to each other. And…..well……we get a slightly expected yet ultimately logical conclusion.

 

While that conclusion may make or break one’s overall enjoyment of “Small World”, the strength of this film lies in its relatability. Even if you’ve never travelled outside of your home country, anyone can relate to being in a new environment and experiencing new things for the first time whilst hoping to find someone to confide in and sympathize with your temporary, fish-out-of-water predicament.

 

Filmed entirely in one room, “Small World” is remarkably well-made. Its cinematography, handled by Tony Xie and Dan Guillaro, is quite impressive, along with the lighting (also handled by Tony) and set decoration by Ismerida Lopez. For some odd reason, I couldn’t help but focus on – and admire – the unique décor of the bar itself, with its shades of brown and window-like grooves on the walls. The ‘exotic’ nature of this set is accentuated by the film’s incredibly chipper background music – a traditional Chinese melody that will work its way into your brain – and stay there!

 

There’s even a brief animated sequence at the beginning of “Small World” that sets up both the relatable and slightly dark nature of the film. Narrated in a faux-British accent (the ease of imitating an accent of that nature is repeated later in the film), this sequence, animated by Serge Volsky, simply and quite effectively emphasizes the distance Americans will travel to discover new cultures, experiences and people. In the film’s logic however – once again without getting into spoilers – the less similarities you have with the people you meet in your travels, the better. Until they get to know you better, that is.

 

Jim Ford and Hannah Sloat have great on-screen chemistry, and thanks to their seemingly endearing characters, one can easily get swept up in their casual, friendly conversation (which takes up a majority of the 3-minute runtime). And while its outcome – or should I say the lingering threat of it – was indeed expected, the open-ended nature of its conclusion made my overall viewing experience of “Small World” all the more satisfying.

 

In the end, I left “Small World” with a smile on my face. It’s well-written, well-acted and well-executed, in addition to being charming, concise and quite hilarious in a slightly dark sort of way. Jim Ford truly showcases his talents in writing, acting and directing, and I’m curious to see what quirky, offbeat story (with or without the incorporation of stunts) he delivers next. If you like your comedies with a little dash of gallows humour, and if you like films with relatable situations carried out to weird, unpredictable but still logical conclusions, then I highly recommend giving this film a look.

 

OVERALL RATING: Decent 4 out of 5 stars.

“Small World” is currently an OFFICIAL SELECTION at the Austin Comedy Short Film Festival, Marina Del Rey Film Festival and Northeast Film Festival. 

EP REVIEW: Mrk Sx – The 40 Year Old Rapper: Episode 1 (2020)

For this review, I’ll be focusing on the 5-track version of the EP, currently available on all music streaming platforms. The 9-track version is a Subscriber Exclusive on Mrk’s Bandcamp page

 

“The 40 Year Old Rapper: Episode 1” is the latest EP from Detroit rapper/producer/record label owner Mrk Sx (pronounced “Mark Socks”). I’ve been familiar with Mrk’s work since the release of his EP “The Amazing Sockmonster” back in May 2019. That project introduced me to his Atlanta-based record label Dat Feelin’ Entertainment and since then, I found myself continually impressed by the quality of its music, cohesiveness of its projects and talent of its roster (from rappers Wizisbeast, Phresh Ali, Erik Jerrod and Marle Blu to singers Poetiic and E. Smitty).

 

In late 2019, I listened to, enjoyed and reviewed (on my Instagram account) three subsequent Dat Feelin’ projects: the compilation album “GGI2 (Go Get It 2)”, E. Smitty’s R&B album “BYGHM (Before You Get Home)” and Mrk’s excellent, deeply introspective project “L Brick Road”.

 

Prior to the release of this EP, Mrk Sx kept himself busy during the first third of 2020 by collaborating with D-12 members Kuniva and Swifty McVay on their “My Brother’s Keeper” EP, doing promotional work for the wireless earbud company Get the Plugs and releasing a new album entitled “Announcements are Overrated”. But what got me intrigued and excited for a new project from Mrk was a mid-April-released track called “Good Life”. This was both the first single from “The 40 Year Old Rapper: Episode 1” and the first Mrk Sx song produced by none other than legendary Detroit rapper and, quite recently with the release of his eighth album “The Allegory”, producer Royce da 5”9 (points for the Pete Rock & CL Smooth “The Main Ingredient” artwork for the single, by the way!)

 

That single is easily the best track on “The 40 Year Old Rapper: Episode 1”. With its moody, piano-driven beat, catchy hook (one of Mrk’s musical strengths) and introspective lyricism, “Good Life” serves as a wake-up call to live life above your circumstances and to not allow stress, anxiety and fear to overpower you. Far from the saccharine, after-school special-like message one might expect from a song of that title, the true strength of “Good Life” – and the EP as a whole – lies in the level of maturity presented by Mrk himself.

 

With this project’s title alone – an obvious reference to one of the best comedies ever made (Yes, I said it!), “The 40 Year Old Virgin” (points for the album cover, by the way) – Mrk Sx could’ve taken the easy route and presented himself as a bitter, cynical emcee, using his age and experience as excuses to lash out at the rap industry and the younger, trend-seeking rapper of the week it places on a temporary pedestal. Thankfully, he opts to showcase his maturity and musical proficiencies on this EP, letting the music and lyrics speak for themselves.

 

Mrk has always included at least one banger in his projects, and “The 40 Year Old Rapper, Episode 1” starts off with one of his bounciest, most energetic and confrontational bangers I’ve heard from him in quite some time: “Why?”  From its punchy, boom-bap beat and gang vocal-esque hook to its razor-sharp, rewind-worthy lyrics (“40 year old rapper, grey’s in my beard / industry can give a fuck ‘cuz I am not a kid / But the GOAT is not a lot of things, most of all a kid”), this track is an immediate standout on this EP.

 

On the following track “Hundo”, he uses a mellow, slightly downbeat instrumental to rap about his self-motivation in becoming the best person he can be, both in his life and career. And while he does criticize the admittedly half-assed “Toosie Slide” track from Toronto rapper Drake in the second verse (which made me laugh because – let’s face it – it’s NOT a good song), he uses that as motivation to make immensely better music than…..that song was. Feel free to let me know how wrong I am about “Toosie Slide” in the comments section.

 

The next track “Who’s to Say” has one of my favourite beats on the EP, with its wavy, trap-flavoured melody that Mrk weaves through effortlessly. Combined with a catchy-as-hell, victory lap hook and incredibly confident lyricism throughout, Mrk fires on all cylinders with this track. The penultimate track  “Sole Power”  merges two soul music-laced instrumentals from guest producer Tone Beatz, the first being a cold, nocturnal beat (one I can imagine playing in a Blaxploitation movie)  supported by reflective lyrics from Mrk and the second being an upbeat, modern-sounding instrumental where Mrk joyously showcases his lyrical dexterity.

 

My one gripe with this track – and the sole gripe I have with this EP in general – is its length. I felt the second beat could’ve played long enough for Mrk to deliver a second verse. Ultimately, both instrumentals were really dope, but I felt the first one was leading up to a longer, brighter beat that unfortunately, didn’t play out as long as I had hoped.

 

With 17 minutes at his disposal, Mrk Sx delivers yet another solid, cohesive and highly enjoyable project with “The 40 Year Old Rapper: Episode 1”. His technical prowess behind the mic, knack for sticky hooks and ear for great beats are on full display here – all of which will (hopefully) give him staying power in the rap game. For newcomers, this EP is a good starting point for Mrk Sx and Dat Feelin’s music, but I strongly recommend checking out their previous work as well. But overall, if you’re the type who prefers potent lyricism and emotionally effective beats over bland, generic, forgettable bars, hooks and beats, then “The 40 Year Old Rapper: Episode 1” is an absolute must-listen!

 

OVERALL RATING: Decent to strong 4 out of 5 stars.

BESS TRACKS: Why?, Hundo, Who’s to Say, Good Life

LEAST BESS TRACK: Sole Power