Rotation 10.25.19
I’m back!
Really life and consistency are not friends, I think, but none the less here we are back for another week of the Rotation. This week is jam-packed so if you need new music look no further. I hope you’ve enjoyed the updated playlist. It updates every week whether I write or do a video so never feel like you are going without music. Fun fact, if you miss a week and want new tunes every rotation is in that month’s playlist. So if you are looking for my favorites of October check out the “10.19” playlist on Apple Music and Spotify.
Featured Albums of the Week
JESUS IS KING - Kanye West
I would be remiss to not talk about this album though Kanye West honestly stresses me out more than any other artist. So I will preface this review with this, I AM ONLY TALKING ABOUT THE MUSIC. I’m not talking about this moment culturally, spiritually, politically, or personally. That complicates everything.
That being said I will give this album a pass. It’s not good or bad. The features are few but are notable veterans in the industry with people like Fred Hammond, Clipse, Kenny G, and then Ty Dolla $ign and Ant Clemons of the newer school.
The production is what we expect of West, strong, at times even overwhelming. I wouldn’t inherently call this album gospel, but I will say it has gospel elements and influences such as his Sunday Service Choir and the sample of “Can You Lose By Following God” by Whole Truth. This is an album of pure worship. The message of this album is extremely clear and you know that from the title. Every song centers Jesus Christ and what He is doing in West’s life and what Jesus does for all of us. The lyrics of this album are simple, and that may be the problem for me, they are too simple for the actual roots of this album which are hip-hop. West has given us bars before, and in JESUS IS KING it feels like things weren't fully developed. The lyrical weakness juxtaposed to the rich production made it hard for me to fully enjoy the album even though I agree and believe in its message. The stand out tracks for this album are “Every Hour” featuring the Sunday Service Choir, “Selah,” “Follow God,” and Everything We Need” featuring Ty Dolla $ign and Ant Clemons. I will say that I enjoyed Fred Hammond but he’s autotuned and that feels wrong, and the Kenny G solo was definitely anointed, but it’s Kenny G.
Sweet Insomnia - Gallant
Gallant is someone I’ve been following for a couple of years now and I have yet to be let down by a release of his and Sweet Insomnia is no different. His sophomore studio album is honest, real, and quite vulnerable. It feels like a look into his mind, how he sees love, and how he is working through relationships. There are two features on the album with 6lack on the title track and Sabrina Claudio on “Compromise.” It’s an album that I can turn on and not skip a song. It is a vibe the entire way through, but half the songs stood out to me including “Sharpest Edges,” “Crimes,” “Paper Tulips,” “Sweet Insomnia,” “Hips,” and “Céline.”
new skin - VÉRITÉ
Look here, VÉRITÉ sent me right back to high school and crappy boys with the lyrics from her latest album new skin. This album is a very interesting mix of mellow but bright production that complements what she’s saying really well. It keeps you engaged the entire time. This album also has a proper storyline. Each track builds on itself starting slow with the title track and speeding up towards the middle like a song crescendo and then fades back to closing out with “amnesia.” I can listen to this whole album without stopping but the stand out tracks are many: “good for it,” “youth,” “faded,” “think of me,” and “amnesia.”
Moments Spent Loving You - Xavier Omär and Sango
This duo is just money. Sango’s production is perfect and Xavier Omär has a crazy pen. Starting out the album with “Deep End” which is also a song that plays with words proves that easily, but my all-time favorite on this album is “The Risk.” This song exemplifies what love is for real, the possibility of getting hurt and praying you don’t. My other favorite tracks on the album are “Say It” and “Cry & Lie.” There are a few notable features on Moments Spent Loving You including Wale, VanJess, Parisalexa, Foggieraw, and Billy Mercury.
The Good & The Bad - Anthony Ramos
I was first introduced to Anthony Ramos through Hamilton like many people but I quickly learned he has quite a bit of range both acting and on a mic. The Good & The Bad, his debut studio album, is a great demonstration of this. The album is generally upbeat with funky dance tracks in between mellow songs of the inspirational or love song variety. This is a very personal album with no features and it was completely made with Ramos and his team of close friends. It is a great follow up to the Freedom EP that came out late last year. The standout tracks on this one are “Dear Diary,” “Woman," “Figure it Out,” “The Good & The Bad,” and “Come Back Home.”
Featured EPs
Bembe Chagga - Kriticos
Kriticos is an up and coming Tanzanian/Zambian artist out of Belgium. Bembe Chagga is his debut EP and I don’t even remember how I stumbled upon this joint but its a fun one. With both hip-hop and afrobeat, this EP is fun and is definitely something to dance too. My favorites tracks are “Shine” featuring New ATL and Top featuring Rewind.
Inglewood High - D Smoke
I didn’t watch Rhythm & Flow on Netflix, but I love good music, and the winner of the show, D Smoke, knows exactly how to give us that. With his first EP, Inglewood High, we are fully introduced to the flows of a true lyricist. The seven-track EP dropped the day the world found out he won and it has been in rotation for many of us ever since. There are three features on the album including Tiffany Gouché, a long-time friend of both D Smoke and his younger brother SiR (yes the Chasing Summer, one of the top albums of 2019, SiR), Sha’leah Nikole, and Tommy Sketch. The whole project is worth a few spins but the stand out tracks are the title track “Inglewood High,” “On Paper,” “Lil’ red,” and “Ain’t You” featuring Tiffany Gouché.
En-Route: Los Angeles & En-Route: London - Thomston
I’m sure this has happened before but not this year, Thomston is an indie-pop star from New Zealand and he decided to put out two EP’s on the same day En-Route: Los Angeles and En-Route: London. The two do have different feelings and I have to say I lean more towards London than I do Los Angeles because the content lyrically is stronger for En-Route: London. I loved five of the six tracks that are on that one; whereas I only enjoyed two on En-Route: Los Angeles, “Casual” and “Acid Rain” If you are into listening to something a little different, very millennial, and fits with their names I would at least give this a solid try.
Featured Singles:
“Sabotage” - Jojo featuring CHIKA
“Better Now” - Oh Wonder
“Trina” - Smino
“Dollaz” - TNGHT
“Cassius Clay” - Avelino featuring Dave
“Good To Know” - Ciscero featuring Masego, Kp & Ambriia
“Ass Like That” - Victoria Monét
“A Seat” - Arin Ray
“ILY (I’ll Love You)” - Dayo Bello
“Half in Love” S.L.M.N & Elijah Blake
“Give You Blue” - Allen Stone
“Eternal Light” - Free Nationals featuring Chronixx
“I Just Do” - Guordan Banks & Cosmic Caviar
“Weakness (Acoustic)” - Maverick Sabre
“Valet (Ian Chang Rework)” - Kiah Victoria
“Sophie” - Arlo Parks
Featured Visuals of the Week:
“Collide” - Tiana Major9 and EARTHGANG
This is the featured single from the move Queen & Slim. I saw an advanced screening of the film and I can say this song and video are the exact same feely amazingness that the movie is. I cannot say much more until the movie is released but it is brilliant you must see it.
“Cashmere Tears” - Kojey Radical
“Cashmere Tears” is the title track of Kojey Radical’s most recent project and his newest single. We can always expect greatness from his visuals because if anything Kojey Radical is an all-around artist from spoken word, music, dance, and creative directing, he can truly do it all. All of that teamed up with Charlie Di Placido makes this video stand out. It is fun, visually stunning, extremely black, and has the perfect amount of funk. I love the Kojey is absolutely no one but himself. It is an inspiration to us to just be.
As you can see this week was PACKED with music. The playlists have over 60 tracks, and good tunes I know you’ll enjoy. Let me know what you think of these songs and what you are listening to this week. Until next week, peace!
