If you were to ask me my favorite project that has dropped in the last 5 years, I might give you a decent list of 4 to 5 albums... Cole's 2014 FHD still makes that 5 year mark, Kendrick's TPAB, K.R.I.T's 4Eva Is A Mighty Long Time that dropped in the last 2 months of last year, there's definitely a nice little selection of very meaty and dense projects that could make a case to deserve the "classic" title. One of the most unexpected of those projects, however, came from the Dreamville signee from Queens, New York; Bas. His 2016 album Too High To Riot, which hit me like a "Methylone" train (of unexpected awesomeness, though), was my favorite hip hop project of 2016, a year that saw many, many dope releases. For those that had listened to previous Bas projects, it was no surprise that Too High To Riot offered the profound and somehow scholarly take on drug rap that it did, but for those of us that hadn't heard of Bas at that point were hit with a refreshing take on "quality over quantity" hip hop that offered more than just a lit track to play over your system. And here, now, at the end of August of 2018, Bas offered another project for us all to sink our drugged-like minds into; Milky Way. Not to use bad puns, but if Milky Way has you so hypnotized that you're seeing stars, well... you're most definitely not alone. Here's my observations from Bas' Milky Way.
The Sweetest Sounding Sense Of Saltiness & Disconnection... A Poetic Lesson In Revenge, And Not Caring After Pain Inflicted
Some might say that the best and most honest art is created through pain and the rawest forms of emotion... Bas takes this statement to heart. In his past Bas has made waves (of tears, get it?) with his unreserved bluntness and emotional depth, and though Milky Way demonstrates Bas in a somewhat more positive light than Too High To Riot, he shows that it takes a low point to get back up to that high point, both found all throughout the album. On the album's introductory track, "Icarus", the track's title can be easily understood from the song's chorus; "since I let go of you and I, lately I've been feeling too alive, flying too close to the sun now, flying too close to the sun now." There's a poetic feeling to the pain ("Icarus", and the numbness resulting from that pain ("Front Desk", "Boca Raton", Fragrance"), which progresses seamlessly to the happiness that results in not caring; a justice serving transition that shows growth, all throughout one 14-song body of work.
Bitterness Resulting In Happiness
(*I do not own these songs, or the rights to them*)
And to do some poetic justice by seamlessly transitioning the feelings felt throughout the album, that numbness and lack of care (specifically from "these hoes" as one may put it) is shown through different examples like Bas focusing on his career ("Fragrance"), still being able to live life through racism and the ever changing cultures of America ("Barack Obama Special"), living while in love ("PDA"), and being able to live without a girl while focusing on self ("Purge"). Bas takes those everyday problematic struggles that hinder the common man's progression and use them as fuel to progress, almost like moving on to the next chapter in the mind of a man who's focus isn't always on his career; because he wants to live, love, and experience, just like any other man.
So does Bas actually milk his way across the Cosmos like the drug laden poetic astronomer that he is? In Bas' universe, maybe it takes quite a few roads blocks and uhm... spaceship troubles to be able to finally sail and coast around the galaxy with the ease and comfort that he wishes. But that's the beauty in the journey. On Milky Way, Bas keeps un all enlightened that though the road may be tough, there's still quite a few sights to see, and reinforces the old saying; it's about the journey, not the destination. Well, that, and the fact that Boca Raton sounds like the absolute tits to party in. The much more light hearted, fun spirited Bas comes out along with a lump sum of fun new sounds and melodies, of which Bas is just as good at making, if not better than the next artist. His expert, yet subtle thesis of man and the troubles of man come out in exciting new ways that could drive even the most long faced fellow to shuffle a jig or 2, and his awareness of self and society are utilized in his beautiful song crafting abilities. Yes, Bas is still surfing the Milky Way, and though he may encounter an asteroid of sorts every few light years, he's still set the ship to cruise control and has found a way to enjoy the scenery.
No comments:
Post a Comment