If we learned anything from Sunday’s interminable Academy Awards ceremony and J. K. Simmons’ win for Best Supporting Actor, it’s that people should be paying closer attention to jazz music. Pair the popularity of Simmons’ film, “Whiplash,” with the newest album by BADBADNOTGOOD, and it’s plain to see that jazz is on the upswing.
Partnering up with Wu-Tang Clan member Ghostface Killah, the Candian jazz/hip-hop trio released “Sour Soul,” which features rappers performing alongside sleek beats performed live instead of produced in the studio.
With Ghostface appearing on every track, it’s evident he was adamant about collaborating with BADBADNOTGOOD. The title track is strong yet quick, with Ghostface rapping aggressively against Alexander Sowinski’s chilled-out backbeat, and Chester Hansen ironing out the edges of the track’s mood with a heavy electric bass line.
Michigan alternative rapper Danny Brown appears surprisingly early on the third song, titled “Six Degrees.” Lyrics are laid down on Sowinski’s clicking beat and a popping, arpeggiated guitar loop which keeps the track light. After a quick Ghostface verse, Brown jumps onto a beat shift, where Sowinski’s drumming lines up with a now staccato rhythm. Brown raps in typical fashion — party drugs, eating and resolving his issues with violence, all ending with a quick hook to wrap up his verse.
“Ray Gun,” the album’s ninth track, helps to make “Sour Soul” a complete unit of musical creativity. Complete with horns, strings and jazz guitar riffs, the song includes everything BADBADNOTGOOD wants to convey in its music. Add in a featured verse from celebrated hip-hop collaborator MF DOOM, and “Ray Gun” ends up being a track which works both in today’s rap scene and the breakdancing-filled annals of yesteryear. “Sour Soul” is intense and political while, at the same time, plays out like a very danceable and fun record. BADBADNOTGOOD’s improvisational prowess bleeds into Ghostface’s raps.
Toward the album’s end, the songs become more cerebral, taking on succinct titles, with Ghostface’s verses sounding like the trip-hop tracks of the collective Odd Future. “Sour Soul” just goes to show listeners BADBADNOTGOOD can do no wrong when it comes to combining jazz music and hip-hop, which it’s done before by working with Tyler, The Creator and Frank Ocean.