Born and raised in Portsmouth, Nicholas Jones, who goes by his stage name, “ninemansion”, produces music that sits at the edge of electronic music, fused with trap and hip-hop. On the grind since 2020, he’s been putting out record after record to acclaim — and on this latest album, “Kamioso: Ascended”, he explores and crafts his sound to further perfection. Keep reading for my thoughts!
The 17-track opus opens with “Resonance” — and right from the word go, you’re faced with ethereal synths, 90s style pads and arps blended with hard-hitting trap production. This track does a great job of setting the stage for the rest of the tracks on “Kamioso: Ascended” — following an autotuned vocal delivery style, and swagger that continues into the next track, “Favorite Shawty 3”.
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The second track continues on the solid melody-heavy foundation laid down by “Resonance” — and this time, it brings in higher energy by form of the percussion. The vocal delivery remains consistent from the first track, and we’re starting to see a theme develop on “Kamioso: Ascended”; there’s coherence and consistency through this track.
“Uzuhiko” follows soon, this time, bringing a darker, more loomy energy with the production. The vocals and the trap production are the two elements stylistically linking this track to the rest of “Kamioso: Ascended”, as the vibes alternate between darker themes, and ninemansion’s signature trap hop sound.
At this point, it seems prudent that we talk about the production on “Kamioso: Ascended” — and the ensemble is rather well-chosen, I’ll say. From the sky-high ethereal synths to the low, thundering 808s, there’s much to appreciate about the production throughout this album. There’s coherence, a power and style that filters through well, and the mixes, while energetic in their own right, also maintain a sense of balance, toeing the line between audiophile flair and festival energy. The masters maintain a clear, modern sound, keeping in theme with the production style.
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Some other tracks of note on “Kamioso: Ascended” include “Karma” with its slower and more downtempo delivery compared to the other tracks, “Myself” for its more introspective themes and intricate production styles, and “Everlast” for its slightly harder sound. As we bring the album to a close with tracks like “Light” and “Tear”, we feel the spaceship slowing down, by this time having transported us into another realm — one of high energies, innovative sounds, and a well-garnished sound.
All in all, “Kamioso: Ascended” by ninemansion: An album that scores high for its production style, albeit still maintaining that classic trap and hip-hop flavor that makes it a beloved genre. Definitely worth a listen, this one! Take a listen to the album here:
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