Thursday, 23 January 2014

Tinie Tempah- Demonstration Album Review


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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)

No comments:

Post a Comment