“The Incredible True Story” by Logic: The Journey for Paradise

The term “sophomore slump” is tossed around a lot in the conversation of hip hop. For many artists after dropping their first album it is really tough to get over the hump and drop a second album, especially one that can be considered successful and timeless in the art of music. However, for Maryland rapper Logic that doesn’t seem to be a problem at all for him with his new album The Incredible True Story. He holds nothing back on his new project as in my opinion he created one of the more creative albums of 2015. 

The Incredible Journey with Kai and Thomas

 

One of my favorite elements of this album is the story layered into the songs, in what feels almost like a mini movie. The album follows characters Quentin Thomas and William Kai on a journey through space as they make their way to the planet “Paradise”. All the while the album is playing as the soundtrack for the journey there. The two discuss a bunch of different topics from how to finish a Rubik cube to what the meaning of life truly is. What is so creative about the use of characters within the album is that they don’t feel unnecessary and fit into the narrative well, even within the songs as Logic’s raps with his fierce flow and style. As a listener I was hooked and wanted to listen more and more to see what happens to the characters by the end of the album and in that sense Logic succeeded.

 

Logic Showcases His Versatility and Inspirations

 

On The Incredible True Story, Logic also displays his skills as an MC throughout this album but he also shows where he gets his inspirations from. On the song “I Am The Greatest”, I felt Logic was rapping in a similar style to that of Drake from his song “Worst Behavior”. Other songs like “Innermission” play off of the style of Kendrick Lamar in telling a deep narrative and connecting with the listener about his struggles to get to the top. As a rapper, Logic is very creative, intelligent and witty and it’s what makes him so successful at being able to connect with his fans and the audience through his music. It’s almost as though Logic is a melting pot of a variety of hip hop styles and eras.

Overall, this album is honestly one of my favorite albums of 2015. The creativity alone is enough to hook a listener to want to take this journey with Logic, whether you were a fan or not. This is definitely an album you need to listen to more than once to truly understand and appreciate the creativity This is a deep conceptual album that in my opinion will be considered a modern classic for years to come.

Overall: 5 out of 5
Essential Tracks: “Innermission”, “I Am The Greatest”, “Young Jesus” and “Lord Willin’”

“Ego Death” by The Internet: The (Odd) Future of R&B Music

One of my favorite projects this year and an album I could not wait to review was Ego Death by the band The Internet. Lead by vocalist Syd the Kyd and producer Matt Martians, both of Odd Future and who have previously released two albums together, showcasing their sound of genre meshing and overall raw talent musically. For Ego Death however they brought in a few more artists and musicians to help create this project in what many are terming as “Alternative R&B”. Artists like Frank Ocean and The Weeknd have put their names on the map by putting a twist on the traditional R&B sound and The Internet is no exception to that, mixing R&B with sounds of funk, soul, hip-hop, and jazz all into one. 

Love and Heartbreak: The Message

Ego Death doesn’t shy away from the idea of love, for lead singer Syd the Kyd, her dark and hazy voice is the perfect instrument to describe the issues of heartbreak. On the song “Get Away”, Syd speaks about her old girlfriend who is now reaching out again just because she sees Syd and The Internet have become popular. Throughout the album, this message is reiterated as it seems Syd is going through the struggles of fame and heartbreak, while trying to find the right girl to make her happy. On a song like “Girl”, we see Syd serenading a woman into being with her rather than her boyfriend or girlfriend who isn’t treating her right. For me, Ego Death is a quest for “the one” that can truly bring you happiness and Syd backed by the dark instrumentals of The Internet delivers that message well and this is what peaked my interest and had me wanting to listen more.

The Instrumentation is Perfection

Something that really pulled me into this album as well and why I enjoyed it so much was the multitude of different sounds and instruments The Internet experimented with for this album. In the song  “Just Sayin/I Tried”, the listener hears the words “I don’t love you no more” repeated throughout with a heavy bassline in the background to drive home the fact that Syd truly doesn’t love her ex no more. I found the instrumentals to be one of the strong foundations of this album and why it is so enjoyable for me. Anyone who is a fan of music and different sounds and experimentation can appreciate an album like Ego Death which has no boundaries or doors holding it back from being different.

Ego Death definitely put a twist on the modern conventions of R&B. It will be interesting to see how much the band grows from this project to their next, however, if it is anything like what Ego Death had to offer then we as listeners are in for a real treat.

Overall: 5 out of 5
Essential Tracks: “Get Away”, “Girl”, and “Just Sayin/I Tried”