Johari Turner is kind of a renaissance man. His lyrics and music come from another time and dimension, and he crafts his world around him. We’re just glad to be experiencing it. A polymath with a dream and penchant for music, this engineer knows what sound will go where and nails it precisely. This is his new album, Basquiat Dreams.
If you haven’t heard of him, Showtime is more than an introduction, With organ heavy discombobulation, it seems like only Johari can navigate these tidal waves. His lyrics are out to prove he can gab with the best of them, and he’s making his way to the big league. The Dallas native proceeds to use a texturally rich background for his rap, ever cognizant about the timing of his delivery.
With Checkmate, he continues the renditions that rely on his blindingly fast rhymes at times. The synths just behave as a praxis of sound for him to lay out his complex verses, and if you’re not really listening, you’ll miss out on some gems. Ride Low uses some phased out synths to create a dreamy vibe. Johari Turner makes sure his listener is listening to some powerful background music along with his lyrics. This seems to be a lost art, which Kendrick had brought back with good kid m.A.A.d city. Johari has a Midas touch in his own way, and lingers on the edge of utilising the background and beat alternatively.
Combatting monotony
The next track is jus talking/rockstars. This is a new wave of hip-pop from him, where he designs the verses to include his vocal prowess as well. The track might be a short one, but only what needs to be said remains in the track. Joharu does not go for excess repetition or beating the dead horse of the chorus hook. The spaced out synths in selfish also boast a simple beat and his ability to let the music marinate before entering the fore.
For a certain someone chooses a completely different sound. The background is almost cinematic, and has plenty going on with Johari using his poetry. There is an 8-bit magic in this track, creating a romanticising aura around the same. It tracks with the brilliance of all his other tracks. He chooses to close out the album with Elon Musk. It is a sketched biography of sorts, and takes a peek into the controversial billionaire’s image.
The longest track on the album, this one has been given a decent amount of thought. Omitting might have been the hardest part, because the bars are sound. Johari Turner does a fantastic job of cementing his legacy with his first album. The tracks are a reflection of his aware, sensitive yet hardened personality. There is a drive that the songs bring out, and his energy translates effectively. Each of his tracks have weeks if not months of work either for the background or foreground. He puts equal care for both, and it really shows.
Listen to his album here:
Rock out to our playlists here!
Discovered via http://musosoup.com
Promotional Disclaimer: The content in this post has been sponsored by the artist, label, or PR representative to help promote their work.Promotional Disclaimer: The content in this post has been sponsored by the artist, label, or PR representative to help promote their work.
Self professed metalhead, moderately well read. If the music has soul, it's whole to me. The fact that my bio could have ended on a rhyme and doesn't should tell you a lot about my personality.
