The duo of Louie Pastel and Felix caught my attention this summer when they released “FORCE OF HABIT,” an aggressive rap track hailed by some as being the hip-hop equivalent of shoegaze. This track, along with singles “SITUATIONS” and “HEAVY METAL” did an excellent job at previewing the experience of their forthcoming record, BOY ANONYMOUS.
For fans of rap and experimental music, Paris Texas does not disappoint. With incredibly sticky verses, hooks, and bars in general featured all over the project, the duo maintain the attention and energy level of the listener from the front of the record to the back. In terms of lyrics, Louie and Felix manage to shine both individually and as a unit, making their mark using their unique personalities. Proclaimed “hook-man” Louie Pastel includes unconventional lines certain to make the listener do a double take (case in point, “I used to cum in a sock,” from “CASINO”). In addition to this, Louie takes on the bulk of the production for the group. Felix, the main lyricist of the two, also includes his fair share of ear-catching bars throughout. Rapping about topics such as the groups imminent ascent in the rap game, future aspirations as a result of success, and more, Felix shows incredible promise in becoming an elite lyricist of the new school. In terms of production, BOY ANONYMOUS covers ground largely in experimental rap. Calling back to the production of artists such as JPEGMAFIA, songs like “PACK 4 DA LOW,” “HEAVY METAL” and more clearly deliver on the promise of great production, utilizing buzzing guitar riffs, droning synths, and crisp drums. No other song brings more satisfaction in a sonic sense than “FORCE OF HABIT,” however; kicking off the track with a distorted punch-in-the-face of a guitar riff and heavy hitting drums, the song proceeds to take a more reflective turn with the ambitious verse delivered by Felix in the latter half. Straying away from the more aggressive side of things, bouncy, catchy drum rhythms are also provided in the form of “SITUATIONS” and “AREA CODE.” The production all over the record provides a breath of fresh air, making it so that the tracks do not take very long to create their identity and catch on with the listener. Paris Texas shows an incredible amount of promise for their future with this project. Although BOY ANONYMOUS keeps it short and sweet at just 8 tracks and 22 minutes, it’s quite enough to deliver the message: Paris Texas is here, and they’re only on the way up from here. Hopefully, a rise in popularity and exposure will come from their upcoming tour with BROCKHAMPTON in spring of 2022. Highlight tracks from this record for me are “FORCE OF HABIT,” “PACK 4 DA LOW,” and “AREA CODE.”
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A s someone that follows music closely on social media, I have always wondered why music reviewers don't wait until the following year to begin a recap of their favorite albums of the past year. Doing this, any one album released at the end of the year could have been one to make it on to a list like this, had the reviewer waited to make their list. Albums like BUBBA are the exact ones I’m talking about.
Even from 2016’s 99.9%, I was able to tell that KAYTRANADA was an energetic soul that wouldn’t be leaving the music scene any time soon. From the first listen, it was a hypnotizing experience of instrumentals made to make you dance. It had an impressive set of features, too, including Anderson .Paak and Goldlink, among other notable artists. However, the album was certainly not without its flaws, and did not make it up quite as high as other albums on my list of favorites of that year. One thing that the album did leave me with was the anticipation for his next project, whatever it happened to be. With 2019’s BUBBA, the electronic-producer hones in on his most desirable qualities, and it is everything that one would hope for following his 2016 release. One of the more attractive elements of his now nearly four-years old release was how each song appeared to go hand in hand with the one following it, making for a unique listening experience. KAYTRANADA turns this dial up to 11 in BUBBA, and it emerges sounding as if each song were a match made in heaven. The transition from one track to the next is pleasant and entirely appropriate, and has you going, “Damn! That was crazy,” at a few points. The album begins with the track “DO IT”, an opener akin to that of his last album in both instruments used and overall sound; from this moment, however, it is evident that the producer has hammered away at his craft in the three-and-a-half years following his last release, shifting even further towards the dance-vibe that he created before. Though we know what to expect by now from KAYTRANADA, BUBBA still manages to surprise with outstanding instrumentals on tracks such as “2 The Music” and “10%”. Here, dancing feels irresistible, at least to someone that loves to dance. Even if one doesn’t enjoy dancing, the atmosphere created by tracks like these is undeniably exciting. The features in the track list are perhaps more impressive than before, with artists such as Kali Uchis and Mick Jenkins teaming up with the beat-maker to deliver on creating excellent music. This album, like his previous effort, however, is not perfect. Though it is easy to think little of these blemishes, there are indeed blemishes. The track “Midsection” could have been kept out of the final cut. Although likely intentional, Pharrell Williams’ provides drowned out, distant vocals; they do not mesh well with the production. What’s more, the singing on the verses of this track is, to be frank, slightly irritating. To give it some credit, it does go along with the overall production theme of the rest of the album. Another problem that could be taken up with the album is how the vocals outshine the instrumental at times, like in “Freefall”, with Durand Bernarr, or “Taste”, featuring VanJess. This problem, however, is a good problem to have when making an album as a producer; it is something that is not necessarily a bad thing, and is even considered to help contribute to the album’s greatness. Overall, I believe this to be one of the better albums of 2019, and a must-listen for anyone that listens to electronic music or dance music, even for anyone that likes to dance in general. The wide variety of artists included on the project is a bonus that provides for a new turn with each song, making for an entertaining listen and a high replay value. |
AuthorEnrique Cardenas III Archives
November 2021
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