Save, save often... That's the mantra to live by tonight it would seem. This will be my second attempt to review this promo copy of Chrono Jigga.
When I first heard 2 Mello was going to undertake this task, I was instantaneously excited. One of my favorite video games from the 16-bit era, one of my favorite mainstream rappers, and one of my favorite artists coming together in one slice of would-be-heaven I thought. This was pure childhood nostalgia wrapped in awesomeness coming my way, and in my month of birth no less!
As for a little about me, let me leave it basic: I play and write mostly metal-tinged music. Guitar, bass, vocals... a bit of drum programming. I've dabbled in ambient/industrial type music before, as well. So, this is where I'm coming from. I only really discovered my love of hip hop within the last three years, but I've experienced the joys all my life.
I'm also not unfamiliar with 2 Mello's work as a producer. He's done some great work for his fellow Lextown, KY rappers, and even released three albums of his own. Always has there been great, solid production in each album he's done. The man knows his way around a beat, and is great at arranging sounds together. A Super Producer in every right.
Onward to the track by track!
First off, aside from the spoken word intro track which introduces us to not only the album but Jay being a self-proclaimed gamer, we have a mash up of Public Service Announcement. A synth tinged piece, that leaps through the speakers and demands your attention. Beats and claps are littered throughout the piece, showcasing a bit of a keeping it simple approach. Towards the middle we have a throwback to the spoken intro, with Jay saying "I was really a gamer, like..." before continuing with the remainder of the track. This starts us off with great expectations of things to come. The groove is great, and has a feeling like this really is Jay and Mello collabing on original material. On the way out and into the next track, we're left with "I've never seen Jigga play Chrono Trigger" as a thought, before "back to our regularly schedule program"
An Encore In Time is next, opening with what sounds like crashing waves and a hypnotic instrumental, demanding you listen. A female voice drops the album title, and then Jay does what he does best. The hypnotic cadence continues through the verse, the beat carries the vocal well, and then the hook appears with a great sounding, single-note guitar line that mimics the melody line from the verses. The guitar appears again halfway through the second verse, before going up an octave and being looped behind the spoken section of the song. As a side note, this was originally my LEAST favorite section of this song, but it feels more natural in this remix. Part of the song, as opposed to feeling like a skit-y after-thought. Mello appearing in the hook is a great touch as well, just adding to that collab vibe, and sounding natural mixed in with the a capella As opposed to sounding like they were recorded years apart, in differently equipped studios.
Next we have the song that sparked a bit of controversy for lyrical content juxtaposed with a beautiful backer. The intro is tense musically, as Jay speaks the intro to Ignorant Shit, which is mashed up with Wind Scene. Things become more open musically as the verse kicks in, less tense, more bouncy and fun. The lyrical content does sit differently atop the beauty of the backer, but I feel it's a fitting juxtaposition. Like a beautiful classical piece played over a bloody shoot out in a movie. Not what you'd expect, but fitting just the same. The beat drops out at 2:35, leaving the haunting melody and Jay's vocal as the focus, and the beat dropping back in before 20 seconds is over. Jay and Mello both seem to have that shit you need, and it isn't ignorant at all. This is that shit I like.
Next up is a mashup of What More Can I Say and Singing Mountain. This intro is just beautiful, and the album's name is dropped again. Jay starts off talking about how his flow is different for each song, and how he switches it up for the next, and Mello is doing what he does best: Producing an amazing backer. The beat is still pretty straightforward, and instantly has me grooving to it. The second verse has more instrumentation appearing, enhancing the feel without cluttering the mix. This track, along with the previous tracks, retains that collab feel. 4 minutes in, as the song rides out, the beat and instrumentation starts to deconstruct and leave us with Jay musing over things, before coming back in bare-bones fashion and riding us out...
Masamune Problems, is by far probably the greatest mashup/remix of 99 Problems ever. The military-esque drum beat was not expected, so it's the first super stand out track thus far. With the second verse we get a backing chord progression added to the mix, making things more tense sounding. The build ups in this mix are great, and the simplicity of the hook is great. The section with Jay and the cop is, musically, more tense-feeling than the rest of the piece as the music builds up during the confrontation. The drum backing feels oh so right here, and the added instrumental lead during the following hook is fantastic, distinguishing it from the first one quite well, and it appears during the 3rd hook again.
This brings us to Say Hello to the Black Omen. The feeling is different from everything else so far as well. A welcome change, with a funky, fuzzy bass line. Just the right amount of dirt is added with that. The drums and little fills are fun, and lay a great foundation for Mello to play with. The source instrumental fits well within. With a few cuts showing 1:48 and 1:51 add to the vocal delivery, making those words hit a bit harder. There's so much happening, and I don't mean that in a cluttered sense, there's just so many other little things that you pick out on repeated listens. 2:45 has a great change in musical feel again, for example. This being my third play hrough I'm finding that I enjoy this one probably the most.
Dirt in The Palace is next, with attention-grabbing sirens, and that all-to-familiar hook. I'm left wondering if I should be brushing my shoulders off myself, feeling like a pimp just listening to this song... and then realizing what I just typed. The bass line in the verse carries things well, and about halfway through there's a fuzzy guitar added into it, adding another layer of depth. Mello makes another appearance in the hook, laying down some great overdubs behind Jay. The beat itself is very nod-inducing. The instrumental is greatly tailored, adding the right emphasis to the vocal in the right places. By the end I found myself singing the hook along with Jay and Mello.
Wind Cry is a different animal in its own right. The instrumentation is orchestral, the feel is closer to the heart lyrically. The drums kick in about 45 seconds in after a great swell, moving the track along nicely. I really dig the vibe of this track, it's touching. A welcome calm segment of this album. Once we reach the home stretch, we get a different backing beat. Bouncier, janglier. All in all a great way to drive the song through.
Girls Girls Girls being mashed up with Scala's Theme is next. There's a feel similar to An Encore In Time, with the more hypnotic single-note line. We get another thick, fat bass line, a great beat with some high hat patterns that don't feel unnatural, and Jay rapping about his girls, trying to get their numbers while he's on tour. The hook has some nice open chords in the backing. More and more instruments are added, with some great violins added towards the end. There's just nothing to hate in this mix.
Finally, Crazy In Love and Gato's Song. Gato In Love? Well, regardless what this song is going to be called on the final release, it really showcases Mello's ability to produce consistent material. This, by far, is originally the most different track on the album. The flow is great from the previous track to this one, it feels like a natural progression. There's a bit of the original in the feel of the instrumental, which I can appreciate.
And with that, we've reached the end of the album for a second or perhaps third time. Really, by the time this is over, I'm left wanting more. I feel like this is just a snack, and there's a whole kitchen left to explore. Mello really proves he is in fact a Super Producer, but I feel that even that is a bit of a modest way to look at it. This album was a journey, and I'm glad I took it.
Favorite Tracks: Say Hello to the Black Omen, Wind Cry, Dirt In The Palace, An Encore In Time
Least Favorite: Crazy In Love. I'm just not crazy in love with the original, so I'm sure a lot of that carried over to this, and it's a damn shame because the instrumental was so amazing.
If I was to throw a rating at this, star wise, I'd probably give it 9/10. Nothing is perfect, but for all of the other Jay Z albums I've heard, this is by far the best in my opinion.
