It's a testament to how far hip-hop has come in recent decades that one of this year's biggest releases sees big-name veteran Ghostface Killa collaborating with Canadian jazz trio, BadBadNotGood. 'Sour Soul' comes as the third link on Ghostface's chain of live-backed albums but BBNG's first full-length recording project with a rap vocalist. The trio appropriate their sound to the film-noir-style of the previous two Ghostface albums; 'Twelve Reasons to Die' and '36 Seasons'.
Despite rumours prior to its release, Ghostface does not feature on every track - three instrumental tracks are included, which offer pretty interludes to the album's dark narrative. Opener 'Mono' builds playfully, xylophone and a climbing bass line drive the song into a rousing teaser of what's to come. 'Starks Reality' and final track 'Experience' demonstrate masterful use of brass and string arrangements, the latter of which is not only one of the album's brightest moments but comes across as strikingly professional and sincere.
Ghostface's stronger points on 'Sour Soul' are mostly in its latter half; centrepiece 'Tone's Rap' sees Ghostface bellyaching as fictional pimp, (- "b***h- the f**k I got lint on my robe/ I can't pimp in these clothes") to results that are both aggressive and comic. 'Mind's Playing Tricks' is an ode to GK's evil villain alter-ego, boasting bad-assery ("Street clientèle I flip, Buy and sell half the chains/ leaving a mark on my neck, That ain't frail.") And on his last two tracks, 'Food' and 'Nuggets of Wisdom', GFK spits life advice at his audience, ("Superficial, don't get sucked into the scene/ The grass ain't always green, the meat ain't always lean"). These moments help to develop the album's thematic concepts as well as offering GFK wider lyrical territory.
Continue reading: BadBadNotGood & Ghostface Killah - Sour Soul Album Review
