Cycle Breaker

Some albums I discover feel like a breath of fresh air. As much as I enjoy the current landscape of the underground it can get a bit repetitive in sound and sub genre. But this one is unlike anything I can say I’ve heard all year and I love that. So let’s get into this! This is the brand new album by MC/Producer -Damien Smith with co production from -Talen Ted -XIV MUSIK -Genesisprod -Chris Carr And across this 11 track, 39 minute experience we take a step back from the prominent drug wave, violent street gangster rap and take a step into the mind of a man who has clearly gone through real things and overcome complications in his life that has led him to where he is now. It feels like he’s trying to convey to the audience his passion, consequences, lessons learnt and experiences he’s dealt with in life and turn it into audio form and man it feels amazing! When you consider the first track in he’s talking about an experience where he was taken advantage of at a young age you know he’s focused on telling his story with his own narrative to truly bring to life the album cover of the constant struggle of two paths! Or how later on in the album he’s apologising to either a current or future partner and saying how he’s going to work on being better and making more of an effort to paying attention and communication! This is another thing most men wouldn’t admit. It’s definitely something I need to work on regularly and it’s another aspect of flaws and brutal honesty that runs as a theme across this album! There’s also a handful of singing credits he has on these songs that are nothing short of beautiful! Giving a Ne-Yo/Usher vibe which I fucked with heavy! As far as his flow goes, it’s a combination of surreal and methodical. Similar to how J Cole executed his classic ‘4 Your Eyez Only’ making sure each and every word, sentence and phrase sinked into the listeners heart! Same goes here, he’s using catchy hooks, incredible beats and mesmerising verses to create an atmosphere of sharing that feels therapeutic in nature! This doesn’t feel like a traditional album but more a 40 minute sit down session that feels almost mentally and emotionally freeing at the end of the music! When we discuss the production aspect we talk about an album that feels ripped straight from mid 2010’s mainstream. From the J Cole’s to the Kendrick or Ab Soul’s. He’s incorporating a more grand and lavish production field to help stand out from the rest. This is by no means a sell out, the execution is still underground in nature but on a more familiar and powerhouse scale! I’ve got a few beats that stood out to me most that I’d like to discuss! Firstly we have the opening track -Walking That Walk on this track we hear a combination of that 808 inspired drum beats, thick plucked bass, some sharp violin strings in the background combined with some light vocal loops that wrap around the track alongside the instrumentation! A true highlight to kick the album off with! Secondly, we have the track -Sunflower. Not only for its healing lyrical merits but god is the production angelic as hell. With that intro that sounds like a combination of luscious bass strings and birds chirping? Whatever it is I dug it heavy! As the song advances we have more prominent bass that’s combined with some light piano keys and hypnotic as hell drums! This is one of those RNB x Hip Hop beats that you really don’t hear anymore! The kind of shit I would expect Anderson Paak to go off on! Thirdly we have the track -Eleonor’s Song. Talk about a gorgeous instrumental. With those lightly distorted keys that further advance into this deep and minimal track that’s about his daughter! More J-Cole vibes but done in his own way. On this track we have those swaying strings that’s combined with some stripped back drum work, synth chords and some light vocal harmonies to add some extra texture to the track! This is truly one of the most unique albums I’ve heard all year! I highly suggest everyone who reads my blog to check this one out because it might change your life!