Edan has come out in his debut as a man on a mission to bring the old school to the new school. Cuttin’ and scratchin’ is all over the place, all sunk in layers of echo and reverb. There are sirens and video game noises and horn blasts. This is an all-out love letter to early hip-hop. Oddly enough, his vocal delivery on this album is more varied, and honestly more interesting, than on his follow-up, Beauty & the Beat. You wouldn’t even know this is the same guy, as this album is way more stripped down and, um, hip-hoppy than the psychedelic ode to funk, 60s rock and all sorts of things musical that Beauty is. This album is a lot more straightforward and listenable, where as Beauty is somewhat challenging. I dig “Emcees Smoke Crack,” a song that shows his simple approach, snarky lyrics and laid-back delivery. Don’t listen to this album and expect the same thing on the next one. We’ll see where he goes from here.
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