Chris Wheat‘s last effort Everyone Wants To Be Archibald Leach (The Early Years) saw the self-taught musician exploring the dynamics of modern society and human relations. Now he is back with the full-length project Everyone Wants To Be Archibald Leach, an 8-track body of work that is inspired by the Hollywood actor Archibald Leach, also known as “Cary Grant,” and his own experiences as a black man moving through the capricious game of life.

From the get-go, Chris employs a wide range of sounds, samples threaded together in his unique and sometimes off-beat manner. “If Mama Knew I Was Still Ghetto” is a 2-minute epic instrumental run that is both cinematic and jagged. Broken into two halves, the first part has a discordant tone underpinned by Chris’s distorted vocals while the second half exudes urgency. Next audiences are introduced to Chris’s duality and expressive style. The downtempo bass-heavy trap sounds of “Men Of The Tribe (Slow Down Sunset)” cut through the speakers with aggressiveness while “Googie Fantasy” evokes brooding feelings and the ups and downs of finding oneself entrapped by one’s fantasies. The production on these tracks varies and is largely experimental with the former having less or rather sparse vocals while the latter is anchored on easy-to-follow chants and short offbeat rap verses with distortion effects.

“Defribrillate Her” starts with a fuzzy vocal and leads into a thumping, bass-heavy piece with pulsating bass lines and cinematic textures. Here, Chris talks about his relationship with women using off-kilter literary devices and witty banter. Next is “Synesthesia Ballerina West Side Guy”, a mixed bag of a track comprising soaring synths, aural effects and thumping drums. Chris’ vocals here are rousing and have a high-pitched tone that gives off a raw and unfiltered energy. There are quite a lot of twists and turns on the track with so many sections that make it sound like a medley. This leads into “Archibald” which starts with a sombre piano riff and sees Chris employing a faux melodic tone, the vocals do go off-key at certain parts which can be jarring but overall the production provides the engagement factor.

The project closes out with two tracks,  the moody “C Wheat” and the piano-laden “I Ain’t Got (L’Chaim)”, the former is a showcase of bravado while the latter is a reflective track that sees the artist looking inward as he continues to chase his dreams. Again, Chris’ rapping and vocal performance sound playful and nonchalant but his constant use of stream-of-consciousness makes it entertainment

In the end, Everyone Wants To Be Archibald Leach, sticks to its strengths and offers audiences a nonconforming body of work that might be an acquired taste for most.

Keep up with Chris Wheat | SoundCloud: Instagram