BPM Records
For you see, Kano has some trouble positioning himself. To be fair, he’s an artist who seems to know where he wants to go and what he can do, yet his listeners are unsure. His first album, (which is a great debut), embodied elements of Hip Hop, Grime and Garage, and was a superbly balanced piece of work.
Kano ‘the artist’ was only pigeon holed because of the scene from where he accrued his popularity, rather than the album that he had delivered to mainstream success. Yes Kano is heavily influenced by the grime scene, and it is what makes him stand out from other Hip Hop mc’s, and it is his natural ability as a Hip Hop mc that makes him unique from the grime mc’s out there (you still with me). He obviously is a fan of both genres, and also a capable, (correction) exponentially capable and formidable artist in both genres, yet critics and listeners expect him to be one or the other, where as dear old K-A (one of Kano’s famous references to himself) just perceives himself as an artist who can do whatever he feels is good music. No qualms there with me, BUT, I do have a problem when he separates the natural amalgam that is his talent and tries to do one over the other. I feel this is where the second album suffered, as we didn’t get the hybrid that was the artist Kano. There’s nothing wrong with hybrids!! The chimera and the griffin are still heavily referenced within popular culture as well as within the elitist minds of literature and mythology.
Onto the album review I can hear you skim readers fiercely protesting (awight awight, I’m getting to it now, awight). As I said, this is a love letter to the scene to which Kano made his name. The production attempts to be grime (and it is), but the songs stray into Hip Hop territory (especially the two Davinche produced tracks ‘Don’t Come Around Here’ and ‘I Like It’). The weight of production is handled by East London producer Mikey J with eleven out of the sixteen tracks, while the rest of the board duties are handled by Skepta, Davinche, and Wiley.
This is an independent release. Unlike Kano’s two previous albums, it seems like the decision to work with one main producer was his idea. Kano obviously had a vision for this project, and working with Mikey J, Wiley, Skepta and Davinche enabled him to guarantee that what he saw in this project came to light. This choice is a successful one, and the listener definitely gets a ‘grime album’ experience.
From the opening track, we are hit with the key ingredients that will season the album in its entirety. Bass, drums and synthesisers. If your not a fan of this concoction, delving deeper into this album optimistically telling yourself ‘it can’t ALL be like this?’ you will be immensely disappointed, as this album is un-forgivingly and un-willing to compromise. BUT this is not necessarily a bad thing. The album (if your willing to play along) is a good one.
Kano not only comes back to the scene with an indie label (bpm records), a singular appointed producer who (almost) does the entire album (bar five tracks out of the sixteen…that’s eleven in case you haven’t been reading my review properly), but he also brings back with him that vocal gusto that is capable of challenging any mc on the planet. A huge benefit of this album is the performance that Kano gives us vocally. Whether he’s rapping at 140 bpm, or serenading us with his interchanging melodic flows that take place either within verses or on a chorus or two, he is sensational. The confidence in his voice is undeniably impressive, and makes this album what it is. ‘I garaged it, Hip Hopped it, ragga’d it/ now its back to grime because its missing me like Madeline’. This line is an indication of how diverse and masterful of his vocal Kano really is (and here comes another…) BUT are his lyrics under the same mastery?
I’m afraid to say not at all. Lyrically this album is not bad, but when compared to the vocals from where they are born, the apple falls a little further from the tree than expected. DO NOT expect anything new from Kano in terms of lyrical content. Don’t expect conceptual tracks of sparse metaphorical depth, because there is nothing here to that decree. The reason for this is not because he’s incapable, but rather because his vocal prowess has enabled him to inherit a conceited outlook on writing. For example, on standout track ‘Anywhere We Go’ with grime legend Wiley, Kano references his verse writing with a line saying ‘I could murk your strongest with a weak verse/ mines 10 minutes/ yours take a week verse’. When writing, sometimes you get the best work sporadically, instantly, quickly. But not always. A lot of artists are losing this perspective, and a lot of their full length projects are suffering for it.
Since we are on the topic of lyricism, we may as well speak about the songs. I mentioned earlier on in the review (about 8,000 words back) that the album takes on a monotonous aura, as 140 Grimes Street does not change its stripes at all. The duration of the album, besides two acapella tracks, is bass, synth and drums. A saviour of this album is the cameo appearances. The collaborations with other vocal performers actually enhance the listening experience of the album. Kano himself is never really outdone by his comrades, but given a new lease of life on the beat arrangements. When paired with Ghetto on ‘Hunting We Will Go’ Kano sounds invigorated on the up tempo chorus and pushes his already accomplished vocal into the realm of enthusiasm that you would expect from a new artist. He is matched and by fellow artist Ghetto, making this a standout track on the album. The same goes for Wiley accompanied track ‘Anywhere We Go’. The production by Wiley not only breaks up the feel of the album, although it uses the same grime emphasis as Mikey J,but the flutes laden with synthesiser bass, really gives the album diversity. It lightens and uplifts, as does closing track ‘Aim For The Sky’ (also produced by Wiley).
Skepta’s presence is also a welcome addition to the sound of the album. ‘These MC’s’ sounds like a Skepta production, thus putting further emphasis on the ‘Grime’ theme of the album. These moments are more important than one may think, as we are given Kano and Mikey J throughout the majority of the album, and we don’t get the usual experimental artist that is Kano, who hasn’t been afraid to change the pace of his projects.
On the whole, the album is a solid piece of work. This is not Kano’s defining album, that title stays with album ‘Home sweet Home’. This album confirms that Kano is still capable of operating within the genre of Grime and any other genre he puts his mind too. This is a step in the right direction for Kano, but not the direction he wants to or needs to go in. He is capable of branching into songs of more depth and commitment than the ones he has delved into on this venture. Personally, Kano is still shy of his full potential, but am confident that he is on his way to accomplishing it. Hopefully he’ll treat this album as one that he needed to get out of his system, and not one that he is obligated to replicate.
If you like Kano GET THIS ALBUM. If you want to know what all the fuss is about then get his first album, ‘Home Sweet Home’ and then get this album. If you’re a Hip Hop or Grime or Dance or a fan of MCing…then give this guy a listen too. He’s good.
Posted In Album Reviews, Oct 02 2008.
Words - Nicholas