Overall, NØIR is a good follow-up to an outstanding debut album. The pace of the album is always changing with some slower tracks mixed in with the generally upbeat vibe. NØIR is the next stage in Smino’s musical experimentation and as with his previous albums it sounds very smooth, relaxed and at times moody. This is what makes Smino’s music unique and interesting and is what he tries to develop on this album. The main difference from Smino’s first album Blkswn, is the more adventurous production. With regards to NØIR, the absence of memorable or meaningful lyrics doesn’t detract from the album’s quality, because that isn’t its focus. While this isn’t to say that if music doesn’t have lyrics it’s worse, rather that a genre so steeped in the importance of story telling and lyrical crafting with wordplay should keep that to heart and retain it while progressing, rather than leaving good lyric writing by the wayside. If not for the importance of lyricism in music, the likes of 2Pac, Nas, The Beatles, Bob Dylan et al would not exist and we would be worse off for it. While it encourages innovation in terms of production, vocal timbre and melody, it means lyricism is a dying art in the rap industry which in my opinion is a shame because it was this that produced some of the best talents in musical history, not only in rap but in a wide range of genres. Both of these things mean that lyricism takes a backseat to the “sound” of the album. This is symptomatic of the appearance of new artists and music every minute and the increasing quality of producers. Lyrically there isn’t much inspiring content to comment on, with most of NØIR being centred around general themes of sexual promiscuity and superiority in the rap scene. Smino knows what he’s good at and consistently does it without fault. Whilst this is apparent, there is no mistaking that this is a Smino album with his fast paced raps and intermittent singing, as well as the very atmospheric, wispy production. With this being Smino’s second studio album his sound has significantly developed from Blkswn with the inclusion of reggae influences on “TEQUILA MOCKINGBIRD”, funk on “MF GROOVE” and his even more varied vocal rhythms. The use of melody in the vocal performance of rappers is something that is only becoming popularised now but Smino takes this to another level, fusing R&B vocals and instrumentation with rap rhythms and cadences to new innovative heights. NØIR, the second full length album from Smino, matches the first in its sporadic energy and strung out delivery.
0 kommentar(er)
