8.5/10
Favorite Track: What Kinda Music Least Favorite Track: The Real
Music is a repetitive medium. The art form usually doesn’t thrive on complete originality, but instead on being able to take ideas from generations of artists and expand on them. Back with his latest LP, Tom Misch has done exactly that. What Kinda Music is an album that looks at trends within Jazz, Funk, and Hip Hop, and is an exhibition of how closely connected all of these genres are at their core. On this record, Misch links up with English drummer Yussef Dayes, and judging by his performance on the drums on this record, Misch made a very good choice. The largest compliment I can grant this record is how tight and compact the entire project feels, every single sound seems to be nestled perfectly in the sonic space that they belong to. The drum grooves live so far in the pocket that it is astonishing sometimes, and the synth-layered nature of most of the songs fit very well with Misch’s calm and inviting vocal performances. The title track is a great example of some interesting production choices that pay off for the pair, where an entrancing guitar riff occupies the first part of the track, while Dayes finishes tuning one of his toms, and it brings an almost unsettling invigoration to the feel of the track that pulls you right in. The song “Nightrider” is another highlight on the record, featuring Freddie Gibbs later in the song. The tight drum groove and spacey production is just enough to make you think of old-school hip-hop, and Freddie delivers here alongside Misch’s fun vocal inflections. There are sections of songs that sometimes overstay their welcome on What Kinda Music. A large problem in music nowadays is that more streams means more money, so artists will cram songs into a record that sometimes just don’t fit the vibe as well as they could, and Misch seems to fall victim to this a bit with songs like “The Real” and “Kyiv.” Nonetheless, this is a fantastic record. The production is pristine and well-constructed, the grooves are flawless and get you moving with ease, and most of all, this record is fun, and we could all use a little bit of fun right now.
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