Kinetic World
Hosted by The Word Is Bond
When Windmills of the Soul dropped back in 2005, it was hailed as an instant classic, by most Hip-Hop heads, including myself. Overnight Japan sensation, Kero One, had created a album filled with laid-back jazzy beats and intricate lyricism. His second album, Early Believers, followed a similar formula plus a bit of guest singers singing hooks and choruses here and there. Now experimenting with a near flawless formula is risky business and it’s one Kero One pushes on in his third release, Kinetic World. Backed by a guest line-up with artists the likes of Fashawn, Othello, and Dumbfoundead, it seems hardly anything to scoff at.
Continue Reading After The Jump…Kero One
Switching between buttery guitar riffs, smooth piano loops, upbeat horns, and banging synthesizers, Kinetic World seems to get lost in it’s own identity, jumping back and forth between different styles that are ubiquitously found throughout summer albums.
It opens with ‘Let Me Clarify’ as Kero establishes a thesis for his album. Moving swiftly through his smooth flow, he slows down for a chorus that falls as a bit dull “I take my mask off and I put it on.” A similar sound, with a softer tone, takes hold on ‘On Bended Knee’ where Kero’s romantic side is unveiled for a quick moment on a proposal song that sounds a bit repetitive and cheesy.
Songs like ‘Asian Kids’ and ‘Remember All That’ are a bit disturbing. A radical change in Kero’s style is taken. I felt like Asian Kids sounded like something like a comedic parody. It outlines the uprise of Asian-American emcees and further emphasizes a stereotype I wasn’t even aware of. ‘Remember All That’ is not the best way to end a album. There is nothing that Kero says that he hasn’t already said before except he does it over a dull bassy synthesizer.
The real gem in this album lies in ‘Missing You.’ We’ve heard plenty of songs formatted into letters, but Kero expands on it with a surprise twist and a rising conflict in the background as it ends with a break in his chilled out tone with pleas of desperation. It is rich in story, theme, and sound all together.
Too often in the music industry do we see great artists longing to expand their fan base for whatever reasons they deem fit. Whether it’s the money or recognition you can hardly come to blame them. Kero One has made his mark on the so-called “Underground” world of Hip-Hop and it seems he is looking to broaden his appeal on this album by approaching a new audience. This album may not be for Windmills Lovers, but it certain hits a few nails on the head for some listeners out there. In a album with a concept regarding movement in a vastly diverse world, it only makes sense that Kero experiments with new,different sounds in order to truly encompass the sense of a Kinetic World.
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-Gerald
Apart from Remember That, I enjoyed it a lot. And the Asian Kids is a more meaningful song to those that are asian. How are Tablo, MYK, Dumbfoundead and Kero One being comedic? It’s simply displaying the struggles growing up as an Asian and that Asians should stay as one. Anyway, I think the reason for the different style in this song was because of his involvement with Tablo, where his songs have a dance/electronic feel. I thought your comment was ignorant and offensive. These guys are very well-respected. I do agree with the rest of the review though.
Apart from Remember That, I enjoyed it a lot. And the Asian Kids is a more meaningful song to those that are asian. How are Tablo, MYK, Dumbfoundead and Kero One being comedic? It’s simply displaying the struggles growing up as an Asian and that Asians should stay as one. Anyway, I think the reason for the different style in this song was because of his involvement with Tablo, where his songs have a dance/electronic feel. I thought your comment was ignorant and offensive. These guys are very well-respected. I do agree with the rest of the review though.
I apologize for any offense taken as that was not my intent. What I meant by a comedic parody is that they have a similar approach to comedians in which they emphasize their own negative stereotypes and do more to push them forward than to relieve themselves of them. Of course there is no race which doesn’t struggle to grow up and everyone should stay as one regardless of their skin color.
I agree that all the artists are well respected and talented in their own right, but let’s not forget that this is Kero One’s album and it should not be overwhelmed by it’s guest artists, as is the case.
I’m sorry if you were offended this is only my opinion which I hope you can understand and agree with. Thank you for your comment as well I appreciate others throwing in their two cents.
I apologize for any offense taken as that was not my intent. What I meant by a comedic parody is that they have a similar approach to comedians in which they emphasize their own negative stereotypes and do more to push them forward than to relieve themselves of them. Of course there is no race which doesn’t struggle to grow up and everyone should stay as one regardless of their skin color.
I agree that all the artists are well respected and talented in their own right, but let’s not forget that this is Kero One’s album and it should not be overwhelmed by it’s guest artists, as is the case.
I’m sorry if you were offended this is only my opinion which I hope you can understand and agree with. Thank you for your comment as well I appreciate others throwing in their two cents.
Ha, looks like we had similar comments. http://www.lessonsix.com/2010/07/kero-ones-kinetic-world-reviewed/#more-23
Missing You was one of the better tracks on the album, one of the only ones I really took away from the album as a whole. It’s a shame really, he’s clearly talented but needs a clear direction in his sound.
Ha, looks like we had similar comments. http://www.lessonsix.com/2010/07/kero-ones-kinetic-world-reviewed/#more-23
Missing You was one of the better tracks on the album, one of the only ones I really took away from the album as a whole. It’s a shame really, he’s clearly talented but needs a clear direction in his sound.
This is definitely Kero’s best work in my opinion. I enjoyed it a lot as well. Though the production may be all over the place, it kept me interested throughout because of that fact. I would probably bore myself to death if every track was some jazzy backpack hiphop number. I believe this album proves Kero is moving with the times and not staying stuck in the past.
And how could you not comment on “Time moves slowly”!? That track is crazy! Word is bond.
This is definitely Kero’s best work in my opinion. I enjoyed it a lot as well. Though the production may be all over the place, it kept me interested throughout because of that fact. I would probably bore myself to death if every track was some jazzy backpack hiphop number. I believe this album proves Kero is moving with the times and not staying stuck in the past.
And how could you not comment on “Time moves slowly”!? That track is crazy! Word is bond.