It’s always an honour to be able to cover a project between these two! This marks my third time, I believe, reviewing something between them, and with every new drop, it just further proves how strong their bond is! Let’s talk about it!
This is the latest collaboration project between MC Ant Kelly and Producer DJ Krooked. Together, they release 20 tracks with 49 minutes of content, which, if I’m not mistaken, is the longest album I’ve covered yet! Featuring the likes of:
-FACES
-PapDirty
-DB
-ODDITY ODYSSEY
-SZO
-RIVERSIDE JYNN
And I’ll start with this. Although I can’t say I was worried, it seems with the longer and more substantial length comes more grand sonic ambitions by DJ Krooked. I know in the past when you have a limited time frame, the best way to execute memorable performances is to make it sound as ‘extreme’ or as ‘experimental’ as you can for a quick and long-lasting adrenaline shot that the audience will carry with them for a while!
But, with just under 50 minutes, you can feel Krooked working with such elements as ‘Methodical Pacing’ and incorporating patience into his arsenal, and this colour works so well on him!
I love how much emphasis he’s putting on the instruments themselves. You can feel the grand horns, those crispy drum patterns, the luxurious yet subtle keys, and plucked strings. This feels like a mini orchestral performance taking place live in the studio. The music itself sounds so organic, fresh, and alive. There’s a certain quality and texture that ‘mastery audio technique’ gives off, and I feel it in spades across this one!
Every single note just sounds refreshing and gorgeous. Not to downplay DJ Krooked’s other projects because I do honestly feel he killed it there as well, but I feel this is a whole new territory as far as atmosphere, pacing, and timing are concerned, and this just proves that when given amble time, he has the ability to create one of the most beautiful-sounding albums you’ve heard all year, no contest.
Now onto Ant. I have to say this is a new territory for him as well. I don’t want to say ‘turn over a new leaf’ but this performance stands out due to its less aggressive nature! Normally Ant provides some of the most chilling and intense bully rap bars you’ve ever heard!
But on this album he actually sounds relaxed, introspective, thought-provoking and a man who’s more focused on sharpening his skills as an MC and delivering the dopest bars possible!
Across this album he sounds clearer than he ever has. It turns out he doesn’t need to rely on aggression to land memorable and excellent pen game which is incredible to hear! His flow is fluent, his vocabulary is actually quite incredible on this one!
Usually I’m used to him just spitting heavy abusive, bully, insult bars like a ‘NEMS’ type. But turns out when he sheds that side of him for a bit he’s quite the intricate wordsmith underneath! Who would have thought!
I also LOVE the energy provided and the synchronicity with the other features across this album. It’s like they are all close friends outside of the studio and coming together with bonding energy and atmosphere that just sounds like they are having fun, spitting verses back and forth just enjoying each other’s company! It was natural, exciting and high in spirit!
Look, this is hands down my favourite album by these two so far. The production evolved to a brand new atmosphere and the MC work took a new direction that turned a lethal MC into an even more deadly threat! This is definitely a record you can’t afford to miss!
https://open.spotify.com/album/7C0UOOxWazUTajIKL55qu9?si=jOKf9KzFScKIRfoIKqk7Rg
The Serpent Tongue Reviews 