Jason Feathers releases his new album, De Oro through Totally Gross National Product.

First impressions were that it sounded a little dated. If it had been released 15-20 years ago then it would have been at the cutting edge of gangster rap, so whether this is just an album out of time, or a well produced love letter to a bygone era is for you to decide.

I'm suspecting the later, due to the use of dated electronic voice manipulation. Normally the electronic manipulation of vocals worries me on album releases. It's usually, though not always, a way of disguising that an artist can't sing as well as they should if they're professing to be a professional singer. The effects used on tracks like 'Leave Your Stain' and 'Courtyard Marriott' are a little dated; this is an effect that was done to death over a decade ago.

For those of us of a certain age, that grew up in the early years of rap, this is an interesting modern take on the genre. If you're a rap fan then this is worth checking out.

6

Nick Smithson