Genesis Owusu: STRUGGLER

Ourness | AWAL

Out 18th August obtainable right here

Genesis Owusu returns after the acclaimed debut Smiling With No Tooth and he places the punk into the hip hop funk with album quantity two. Be careful, The Roach is coming for ya… Wayne AF Carey opinions…

I’m a little bit of a latecomer to Genesis Owusu but now I’m gripped by his futuristic tackle hip hop, soul and funk. Our personal Keith Goldhanger was proper on the ball as ordinary when he found this extraordinary expertise right here. It’s an idea album like no different, concentrating on The Roach and an odd worry of God.

As Genesis himself says: “THE STRUGGLER RUNS THROUGH AN ABSURD WORLD WITH NO ‘WHERE’ OR ‘WHY’ AT HAND. JUST AN INSTINCTUAL INNER RHYTHM, YELLING AT THEM TO SURVIVE THE PESTILENCE AND LIGHTING BOLTS COMING FROM ABOVE. A ROACH JUST KEEPS ROACHING.”

STRUGGLER is about how one can get by way of its battle. The album takes inspiration from an in depth good friend hitting the brink and coming by way of the opposite facet, together with prompted questions of life and wonder that Owusu discovered himself considering throughout readings of Samuel Beckett’s Ready for Godot and Franz Kafka’s Metamorphosis.

The primary three tracks are gorgeous examples of hip hop funk that roll into one another like a pile of area junk heading in direction of a planet sized magnet that can absolutely implode with the burden of mammoth melody hitting your ears. Leaving The Mild might be among the best album openers I’ve heard this 12 months. A rolling bass line that’s straight out of a superhero film with vocals which can be just like early Slowthai, with an enormous hip hop break that makes your head wobble. The Roach kicks in with some gentle suggestions then breaks into a cool as fuck hip hop soul beat with some class rapping from this Ghanaian Australian with genius working by way of his veins. He even cheekily slips some Killers lyrics in there. “There’s an previous man ready within the sky, simply to fuck my life up” he states on Outdated Man with stark darkish undertones and a punk fuelled hip hop stance that sounds epic. It’s indignant stuff.

See Ya There slows the tempo down with some clean soul vocals that convey out the expertise of his singing that’s up there with the likes of the late Prince. A laid again bit of sophistication that floats round your ears. Freak Boy kicks in with a cracking bass line and a correct funky drumbeat with an enormous refrain that Albarn’s Gorillaz would kill for. A cracking monitor that will get your arse twirking like a cool rooster. Tied Up is the funkiest piece of hip hop I’ve witnessed in ages with one other cheeky nod, this time at Madonna’s Vogue. He’s bought that wordplay that offers the large league rappers an enormous run for his or her cash.

That’s Life (A Swamp) is one other huge piece of funk that lifts you up onto the next plain of dance mania. It’s infectious as fuck and simply hits you with a sunbeam of pleasure. In the event you love your Funkadelic and Parliament you have to hear this album only for this monitor alone. It’s bought that area vibe which slows down three minutes in like a Spike Lee impressed soundtrack. Balthazar picks up the hip hop punk groove once more with swagger and visions of alchemy in his lyrics. A trendy mantra hitting out at The Roaches. Keep Blessed is punk as fuck with a psychological bass line and drumbeat backed by his glorious rapping which brings Slowthai to thoughts but once more within the supply, an in depth cousin to Doorman from his debut.

What Comes Will Come is a dub reggae dancehall factor of magnificence that bounces together with the milking from the teat of funk. Catchy as hell, particularly when it goes all drum n bass for the final minute with some astounding vocals as well. Wonderful stuff. Closing monitor is only a nice piece of mellow funk with the nice line “I can fuck myself high quality simply at no cost” and one other line with a nod to the legends De La Soul with the ‘Me myself and I’ line. Owusu is genuinely unique and he’s on a special planet to most artists in his style. He’s knocked out an album that’s higher than his debut and he’s simply booked his approach into the realm of the large weapons. One of many albums of the 12 months for me. Watch your again Kendrick Lamar…

UK / EU TOUR DATES

15 November – Heaven – London, UK
16 November – Cafe De La Danse – Paris, France
17 November – Hole44 – Berlin, Germany

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Phrases by Wayne Carey, Critiques Editor for Louder Than Struggle. His writer profile is right here