Only very recently I was checking out Ghetts' 2021 album Conflict of Interest for the first time, and I loved the versatility, his lyrical dexterity and the conscious and introspective touch to his songs, so this release came at the perfect time for me and felt like a great natural follow up. Even more recently, I reviewed Kid Cudi's album from earlier this year INSANO, which I had no clue at the time, is now to be seen as a part 1, with this Nitro Mega version acting as a sequel, or atleast a sister album, with a new full hour of material.
Ghetts - On Purpose, With Purpose
Starting with Ghetts, this record once again proves that he is one of the coldest and realest rappers to come out of the United Kingdom. Flying the flag for lyricism on these shores, but also delivering vulnerability mixed with a cold-blooded disposition that makes for a hugely versatile and creative album. His self-description on the track Anakin (Red Saber), hard name, sums up Ghetts for me to a T, "if anyone asks what genre of music I make, say substance with a bit of grease". Like on Conflict of Interest, the top-end starts with bar-heavy tracks with clever wordplay, smooth flows and long, multi-syllable rhyme schemes. There's something about the tracks on this album though that just go even harder than the aforementioned album. The features help, especially Kano and Unknown T, but also the instrumentals are better too, those vocal samples in the second half of Blood On My Hands add to the menacing vibe and they sound quintessentially UK which is a huge plus. Check the transitions between songs too, notably Mount Rushmore into Double Standards, but also Anakin (Red Saber) into Blood on my Hands is completely seamless, I never even notice when the song changes. Whilst he delivers greasy tracks, you also get the conscious tracks like Double Standards, calling out racial-based hypocrisy in the UK, for example the bar, "I was on the phone with a pal of mine, and they asked me why they helping Ukraine and not Palestine, and I replied, brown skin, we were so whitewashed". As well as social commentary and personal storytelling, he creates softer sounds with love tracks like Mine, and uplifting, gratuitous, positive songs like Hellelujah, Tumbi and Blessings, all of them are super catchy and add a nice balance to the project. Perhaps the album could've benefited from stripping down a few tracks, but overall, I really like this project and will revisit it often, and that's two albums in a row that Ghetts has given us insight into his psyche and life, with some fire tracks in the process.
Star track - Blessings
8/10
Kid Cudi - INSANO (NITRO MEGA)
Just over a month ago I reviewed the new album INSANO, where I think it's fair to say was a little disappointing, with songs that sounded a little dull and uncharismatic compared to Cudi's usual sound which we've heard ample times before, even a few years ago on Man on the Moon III, and his Entergalactic project. The NITRO MEGA version, though somewhat of a sequel, simply has several tracks which easily sound like they just didn't make the cut for the first INSANO, like the opener HUMAN MADE, and the uninspiring and boring MOON MAN SHIT. However, I think a decent portion of these songs are slightly better than the songs from the first project. Mostly from the first portion of the record, tracks 3 through to 7, from WIN OR LOSE to CRASH TEST CUDI are all pretty good Cudi songs, they're catchy, fun, and I could feel the life in these songs that I just couldn't recognise in the first INSANO. We get a few duds though, ELECTROWAVEBABY 2.0 was Cudi and Steve Aoki trying to capture that late 00's magic that brought them success with the Pursuit of Happiness remix way back when, but in this instance, they turned a decent song into a outdated stadium, dance track. I can't help but feeling the tracks with Wiz Khalifa and Pusha T were a little underwhelming and under-baked. We do get a nice dose of nostalgia with a DOSE OF DOPENESS (2007), with Cudi reminding us all how unique and engaging his early tunes were and why kids gravitated to his style. Without the presence of DJ Drama giving it the mixtape stamp, and with Cudi taking this album a little less serious and more easy-going, the overall listen itself benefited greatly. I guess he was more "in his bag" over more tracks on this project vs the previous one. He still failed to put a consistent hour of good music together though in my opinion, something I know he is capable of, but just maybe not this year. I said when I reviewed INSANO, that maybe I wasn't ready for the Cudi itch to be scratched this year, given that he has dropped new projects in 2020 and 2022, and this newer release has doubly reaffirmed that. Better than ISNANO the original, but yeah I think I'm a bit fatigued with the two projects.
Star Track - I JUST WANNA GET
5/10
BONUS CONTENT
Little Simz - Drop 7
Just going to preface this by saying I haven't head any of the the "Drop" projects, but by the sound of it they are small EP's that come out inbetween albums, however, someone would have to let me know whether they're all as experimental as this one. Like the EP, I'll keep this short - also it is a month old now. Futuristic, robomotronic, dancey and quick is what comes to mind with this EP. Despite some cool instrumental moments with sick percussion like on Fever, I think the EP lacked flavour and substance that her last couple albums had. Substance I can allow for, given that it's only 7 tracks there wasn't going to be much lyrics to get your teeth into anyway, but the bars on here felt quite easy, and dull. The high-pitched patronising delivery on the Torch hook is really irritating, though the beat and the intense delivery of the verse hold the track a lot, she should've just gone for an all-out bars track on that and fucked the chorus off. SOS, this song has a complex, high-tempo, fire instrumental, it felt like you were deep into the first night at a UK festival that, loved it. I Ain't Feelin It has a cool spacey beat and braggadocios lyrics that were hard, again just feel like her accent did my head in a bit though. No particular notes for Power other than it was super short and the drum pattern was cool albeit the whole beat was clunky and messy. Then the best lyrical highlight came from the closer, Far Away, longing for a past lover, her soft vocals were brilliant, a nice groove to the beat, great use of trumpet in the hook to soften the impact further, and catchy refrains that stick nicely.
Star Track - Far Away
5/10
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