| |
$26.99 CD
$26.99 CD
$9.99 mp3
|
|
WILEY
Playtime Is Over
(Big Dada)
 "My Mistakes"
"Paisaje"
DIZZEE RASCAL
Maths + English
(XL Recordings)
"Where's Da G's"
"Wanna Be"
From his pirate radio shows to his signature rubber band rhythms (which have been used behind countless MCs, including Dizzee Rascal and Kano), not to mention his overlooked debut album on XL and his production of the Roll Deep full-length, it's no wonder why many consider Wiley the Godfather of Grime. Now comes Playtime Is Over, his sophomore solo effort on Big Dada, an album which spotlights his best skills as a producer. You can tell Wiley feels energetic and self-assured but also introspective; the record is filled with haunting, icy beats that, much like the Neptunes' production for the Clipse, is sonically mysterious, though Wiley's album is unmistakably British. Dark synths and smeared, metallic rhythms bounce around as elastic bass lines wobble, sparse snares snap and jab, and crisp cymbals make the tracks shimmer like diamonds. Like polished coal, all dirty and sparkling, this is grime shrouded in beautiful bling. Tempos are all turned out, pulsating underneath the stuttering, cut-up tales from Wiley and his guest vocalists, their raw, loose rapid-fire tongues displaying verbal gymnastics, for real. Though Wiley's vocals in particular are heartfelt and feel authentic, he can, however, be a little corny. And this is where he and his estranged friend Dizzee Rascal differ -- Dizzee is a better MC, yet he seems a little lost, whereas Wiley is mature and grounded but lacks some of the bite. (Check Wiley's "Letter to Dizzee" and "Getalong Gang" for insight into their fallout.) Nonetheless, Wiley is one of the most imaginative producers in the whole scene because he can flip the pop element with the grime aesthetic, and, much like drum-n-bass, this is exactly what the genre will need to sustain itself. Playtime Is Over feels like an evolution for the genre and is a step forward in the right direction. I liked it from the very first listen.
Dizzee Rascal's debut Boy in Da Corner set the world alight for a minute, but now, a mere three years later and three albums in, Dizzee seems to have boxed himself into a corner of sorts. Lots of controversy between the artist, label and management has put a halt to the domestic release of this album for the time being, mp3 and UK import being the only options. Despite its great title, Maths + English is a hodgepodge of good tries and near misses for the most part, and rarely does he hit the mark in both track and lyrical content. Where his sophomore effort, Showtime, was brilliant in its minimal approach to grime mechanics, the production here comes from longtime collaborator Cage, first school drum-n-bassers Shy FX & T-Power, and Lily Allen's producers Futurecuts. (Lilly Allen herself makes a guest appearance, as do the Arctic Monkeys via a lengthy sample.) What's odd is that even though he's not interested in the US market, his records are so aligned with American hip-hop. Here, Dizzee seems more like a traditional NYC rapper instead of the double- and triple-time of grime MCs -- it's more about digital crunk than speed. When he does hit the mark, however, he's brilliant: e.g. the opener, "World Outside," the Bollywood-infused "Bubbles," the dubby sway of "Excuse Me Please" and even the grime-meets-hard-rock single, "Sirens." It's when Dizzee occasionally leans towards the more foul-mouthed, bash-your-head-in kind of street garbage that he begins to wear thin. If only Dizzee and Wiley still worked together, then just maybe they both could have the perfect record. That said, I like this one more with each play. [DG] |
|
