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DāAngeloās long-awaited Black Messiah is devastatingly greatWhatās remarkable about Black Messiah, other than the fact that it actually exists, is how fresh DāAngelo sounds when slotted next to modern R&B artists. Itās the same trick The Roots pull off with every new albumāsounding inherently classic yet completely of the present. Thereās a thematic and sonic awareness to Black Messiahācredited to DāAngelo And The Vanguardāthat makes it so much more than a long-delayed comeback album from an artist widely declared a genius some 15 years ago. Itās somehow the past, present, and future all in one.The album most obviously akin to Black Messiah on a musical level is Sly And The Family Stoneās Thereās A Riot Goinā On; both are narcotic, weary, funky, and seductive. But there are also shades of Marvin Gayeās Whatās Going On and Sign Oā The Times-era Prince, not to mention a heavy dose of Funkadelic and Stevie Wonder. The plethora of influences, instruments, and effects are revelatory; every arrangement feels like a living, breathing organism that can mutate and grow. On the politically charged ā1000 Deaths,ā it comes in the form of a shift from a blend of chunky, atmospheric riffs to a full-on, Eddie Hazel-inspired guitar freakout. Itās also present on āSugah Daddy,ā where a looping piano line and off-kilter handclaps occasionally recede into the background, making way for DāAngeloās layered harmonies and panning studio effects.For a record that obviously took a long time to produce, Black Messiah is surprisingly loose. Classical guitars weave around a wandering bass on the ballad āReally Love,ā the inclusion of horns and strings never making the song feel crowded. The beauty of this record is in the balance: between the political and the personal, certainly, but also between tightly constructed harmonies and melodies, and the more free-flowing sense of rhythm. For instance, āThe Charadeā features one of the more ethereal arrangements on the record, with DāAngeloās voice tweaked and layered to a surprising degree. Itās confounding, but then the lyrics poke through and suddenly thereās an urgency to the track, something to anchor it: āAll we wanted was a chance to talk / āstead we only got outlined in chalk / Feet have bled a million miles weāve walked / Revealing at the end of the day, the charade.ā Then thereās āBack To The Future (Part I),ā a slinky funk jam that finds DāAngelo longing for the way things were. The singer is obtuse though, never really identifying what he wishes hadnāt changed. Himself? R&B? A romantic relationship? Black Messiah benefits from being so cryptic, managing to sound poignant, relaxed, and seductive at the same time.Donāt mistake relaxed for complacent, though. Black Messiah doesnāt sound like anything else this year, or maybe even the last decade. Itās an album that pays homage to the history of black music, from blues, funk, and soul through to hip-hop and modern R&B while remaining in touch with current socio-economic and political struggles. Maybe thatās because those modern struggles arenāt so different from the ones in the past. Black Messiah confirms that music holds the power to challenge and comfort, to take us someplace spiritual, political, and existential. Itās beautifully, devastatingly human.
Not sure how I missed this song earlier this year but it instantly got stuck in my head. Hero - Family of the Year
Kingswood - Sucker Punch
Hope everyone can get by and not be tooooooooo distraught with this shocking news https://twitter.com/originalfm/status/890934474707533825