Album- Demonstration
Artist- Tinie Tempah
British rapper Tinie Tempah seemed to become a household
name really quickly with his debut album Disc-Overy, producing such hit singles
as ‘Pass Out’ and ‘Written in the Stars’. After a number of delays, Tempah
finally released his second studio album Demonstration in late 2013. But does
the rapper still have that ability to create great music that people will love,
or is this new record more of a sub-par effort that will see other up and
coming rappers take Tempah’s place at the top?
Track 1- Someday
(Place in the Sun) (featuring Ella Eyre)
The album’s opening number is a grand affair that finds
Tempah teaming up with rising star Ella Eyre. Within this track we find Eyre
singing of how you will find you place in the sun and how you have to work hard
within life, whilst Tempah provides lyrically sharp raps for the verses in
which he focuses on his journey from the harsh streets of London to the
successful recording artist that he is today. There is this harsh, hard hitting
quality to Tempah’s raps that makes you feel that he is still fighting in life
and is definitely never going back to his former life, whilst Eyre is the
perfect guest artist has her soulful, rich vocal performance provides the song
with a weighty, immediately attention grabbing and accessible chorus that
compliments Tempah’s snappy raps. The production value is great as the way that
the song develops from this subdued, piano led affair to a more rock guitar
heavy, dramatic track works really well and makes this song primed to be both a
great single choice and a great live moment.
4/5
Track 2- Trampoline
(featuring 2 Chainz)
Acting as the record’s lead single, Trampoline is a fun up
tempo number with quirky electro beats that perfectly capture that idea of
being on a trampoline. The song focuses on the rapper telling us of how he has
come up in the world and how he is just living life, with the song having a
silly and flirtatious element to the lyrics. In terms of the raps Tempah
doesn’t really maintain your attention, but the repetitive chorus is quite
ridiculous but catchy. Whilst 2 Chainz’s guest rap is a bit clichéd for a
rapper, his harsher American voice compliments Tempah’s voice quite well. The
best thing about the song is definitely the production that comes courtesy of
in demand producer Diplo. With the track Diplo provides us with a really
frenzied sound that is trap and hip hop led with squiggly electro notes and a
really bouncy rhythm that just makes you want to go a bit wild, and which will
probably work well in clubs.
3.5/5
Track 3- Don’t Sell
Out
If you just take this track from its title it would seem
that Tempah is trying to instil a really forceful message into his listener.
However, this is far from what the song actually does, as instead we find the
singer poking fun at the often used term of selling out. The song finds the
rapper giving us a smart analysis of society with a wittiness that is
infectious to listen to, whilst the use of a sample of the song ‘Kalasala
Kalasala’ provides a snappy groove and keeps the song rooted within this
ideology of not selling out being a funny statement. The uncredited vocals from
Candic Pliay provides a short but equally as snappy moment away from Tempah’s
raps and allows this song to be another track that would probably work well as
a single in the future.
3.5/5
Track 4- It’s Ok
(featuring Labrinth)
Frequent Tempah collaborator Labrinth makes the first of two
guest appearances on the album with It’s Ok, a song that focuses on Labrinth
telling this girl that he has been unfaithful and this girl should not say it
is ok, because if she does then he knows it is over. Tempah provides simple
raps to compliment the chorus and continue that idea of being in a relationship
that is wrong and which he realises the problems. What is nice about this track
is that it contrasts the last couple of tracks in terms of diverting from the
fun and frivolous quality, whilst the song is more ballad like and not something
that many fans would expect from this duo. Labrinth provides a smooth vocal for
the chorus that is imbued with this essence of honesty, and the simple quality
of Tempah’s raps also works well. Furthermore, the heavy bass drums and dark
essence of the production gives the song this dramatic edge that works really
well, creating a track that is quite a mainstream break up song but which still
feels slightly unique and different.
3.5/5
Track 5- Mosh Pit
(featuring Dizzee Rascal and Ty Dolla $ign)
Mosh Pit takes the record back to more of a fun frame of
mind, whilst the track also finds the rapper teaming up with fellow rapper and
musical influence Dizzee Rascal, as well as American rapper Ty Dolla $ign. The
track simply acts as means for the three rappers to rap about doing their thing
with their music and how the music has them being in a mosh pit, where people
smash into each other whilst in a live show. Rascal’s furiously fast paced rap
definitely singles him out as the superior rapper of the three, but overall this
just feels like it is designed to be a live track where people will be in a
mosh pit, and as a song to just listen to it just doesn’t work, with the
frenzied style of the production being very annoying.
2.5/5
Track 6- Looking Down
the Barrel
Opening with a music box style intro, Looking Down the
Barrel is quirky rap track in which the rapper simply goes off on many tangents
about fame, life and relationships. The song takes things back to more of a
lyrically sharp state in which Tempah shows of his ability to analyse
situations well, with the song also featuring a cool and quirky sample of the
song ‘Betty Jean’s Mama’ by Gator Creek. The track’s producer Tom Rowland creates
a great sound with the mix of snappy hip hop production with acoustic led
guitar notes, creating this earthy texture to the song that works well with the
lyrics.
3.5/5
Track 7- Children of the
Sun (featuring John Martin)
Featuring Swedish singer-songwriter John Martin, Children of
the Sun is an uplifting up tempo moment where Martin sings of how you are not
alone and how we are the children of the sun, whilst Tempah provides us with
simple raps about how he has climbed high in life and how he will continue to
just do his thing, as will you. The songs focused sound with the snappy bass
and prominent electronic undertone creates a nice flow for the track, and as
whole this song is uplifting, with Martin providing a grand and weighty vocal
performance for the chorus. The problem is that the formula for the song is
something that Tempah has already used with his previous hit ‘Written in the
Stars’, and because of that this song just feels totally devoid of originality.
2.5/5
Track 8- Witch Doctor
(featuring Candice Pillay)
Witch Doctor is a mid tempo number with a slight soul and
reggae vibe. Lyrically the song focuses on Tempah telling us of this girl who
wants to get in on his life, being inspired by Tempah taking a girl from a live
show onto his tour bus and showing her what it is like to live his life. The
concept is fun and interesting at first, but after a while the song become
bland, with Candice Pillay’s vocals in the chorus just lacking charm and feeling
over repetitive after a while. The bubbly tone of the production gives a slight
summery feel to the song, but on the whole this feels like filler track.
2/5
Track 9-Shape
(featuring Big Sean)
With Shape Tempah sadly goes into boring rapper cliché in
which he asks to see this girls shape and how if she plays her cards right then
things will be great. Some moments of wit seep into the track, but on the whole
the rapping is really bland. Big Sean’s rap nicely offsets Tempah’s in terms of
the British American dynamic, but the rapper also just sounds like an
egotistical, clichéd rapper. Sean is also better within this song, which isn’t good
when Tempah is meant to be the lead artist. The quirky flow of the production
with the clicking beats and a bubbly undertone makes for an interesting sound
at first, but the production equally becomes as bland after a while.
2/5
Track 10- Love Not a
Fighter (featuring Labrinth)
Third single Lover Not a Fighter sees Labrinth contribute a
second time to the record, but this time around the two boys are back to their
up tempo, fun loving ways, which sounds really good. The song finds the two artist’s
just living life and being in this state where everything is good. The chorus
is instantly catchy whilst Tempah provides some cheeky, flirty raps that see
him back to his best. Labrinth provides a smooth vocal for the chorus that is
sharp in its ability to be instantly memorable. And with the forceful, slightly
rock influenced production with the stomping electro bass, this song is just a
really fun tune that works really well as a single.
3.5/5
Track 11- A Heart Can
Save the World (featuring Emeli Sande)
Tempah teams up with British singer songwriter Emeli Sande
for A Heart Can Save the World, a bubbly, electronic orientated song that is
designed to be another uplifting, motivational track within the album. The song
finds Tempah rapping about what he believes in and how is just doing loads of
great things, with Sande providing a simple chorus in which she expresses this
sentiment of a heart having the ability to save the world. The song just uses a
clichéd idea of spreading love, and Sande’s vocal contribution feels quite
pointless The rapping is also too in your face and obvious, and although
producer Naughty Boy provides a cool sound with the stomping electronic rhythms
and the use of military styled drum beats, the song overall just feels like it
was too obviously designed to be motivational, and because of this it fails.
2.5/5
Track 12- Tears Run
Dry (featuring Sway Clarke II)
Reportedly amended 37 times due to constant adjustments,
Tears Run Dry is an emotional song that finds guest vocalist Sway Clarke II
singing about how there is no more regrets, and now his tears just run dry,
whilst Tempah raps about personal thoughts and vents about some problems. The
song is definitely one of the records finer moments, as Tempah gives us raps
that are fine-tuned and meaningful rather than clichéd and egotistical. Sway
Clarke II is also a great guest vocalist, providing a rich RnB vocal that creates
an emotive centre. Producer Crada does an nice job with the production, giving
us a forceful, bass heavy sound with some great use of potent strings, and with
the volatile finish, this is a grand and emotional song that is much more sophisticated
but still kind of rough, and which shows of Tempah at his best.
4/5
Track 13- Lost Ones
(featuring Paloma Faith)
Seeing Tempah team up with British singer-songwriter Paloma
Faith doesn’t seem like it would work on paper, but in actually hearing this
song, the combination doesn’t sound that bad. Here the two artists focus on the
concept of two people breaking up and trying to keep their pride, but realising
that they regret things. Tempah’s rapping is strong, but Faith is definitely
the artist that shines the most within the song, as she provides a smooth but
quite eerie vocal for the chorus that brings out the emotion of the song a bit
more powerfully. Naughty Boy takes production duties once again and creates
this lovely blend of snappy beats with a nice string arrangement and a nice
piano line.
3.5/5
Track 14- Heroes
(featuring Laura Mvula)
Co-written by Emeli Sande, this song is nice simply through
the fact that someone else can provide the vocal instead of Sande, because she doesn’t
need to sing everything that she co-writes these days. The song is another motivational
track where guest vocalist Laura Mvula exclaims of how everyone is a hero,
whilst Tempah raps about an array of motivational ideas. The rapping doesn’t command
your attention a lot, but Mvula is another great guest vocalist, as her rich,
soulful vocals creates a much more impactful chorus. The production is another
good combination of some snappy drum n bass rhythms with a good string
arrangement, with this song overall being much more of a successful
motivational piece.
3.5/5
Track 15- 5 Minutes
(hidden track)
Hidden track 5 minutes focuses on Tempah asking us to fasten
our seat belts and get ready for this fun ride, whilst Tempah raps about his
life now and how it is apparently 5 minutes until he explodes. The song is just
a fun and slightly silly rap track that focuses on the singer having fun, with
the song being infectious in its simple revelry. Radio 1 DJ Zane Lowe acts as
producer for the track and provides a great mix of hip hop sirens, fuzzy
electronic notes and gritty guitar lines for an uplifting sound that you can
just lose yourself to, whilst the uncredited vocals from artist J Warner act as
a smooth contrast to Tempah’s volatile raps. It is a good hidden track, and the
only problem is that it isn’t a good enough track to justify the five minute
length.
3.5/5
Final Review
Demonstration is an album that definitely has a number of
good tunes, but which doesn’t have the same consistent quality throughout.
Sometimes Tempah’s rapping is great, being interesting and thought provoking,
but at other times he either sounds silly or clichéd. The guest vocalists on
the whole are good, but sometimes their presence is either too strong or too
minor. The production of the album is also in this same vein, either being very
good and attention grabbing, or bland and familiar. In a sense Demonstration
just feels like an album that still needs refining even though it was delayed
so many times. Either that, or Tempah should have just cut some of the tracks
and made a shorter but potentially more arresting record, and a record that isn’t
so mainstream that it sometimes feels pointless.
5/10
Best Track- Someday
(Place in the Sun) (featuring Ella Eyre)
Worst Track- Shape
(featuring Big Sean)
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