ONLY the grossly misinformed would proclaim following up a Mercury Prize winning album to be an easy feat; but on White Men are Black Men Too, Edinburgh based alternative hip-hop trio Young Fathers may have done so.
Opening with an ominous bassline that could be found upon some of Massive Attack’s more foreboding work, ‘Still Running’ juxtaposes its more sinister aspects with delicate glockenspiel and soothing, blues indebted vocals. Plunging into more frantic territory towards its climax with pained cries of ‘what happened to the man who paid his dues?’ accented by discombobulating piano work, the track serves as an excellent introduction for what is often a harrowing and delightfully perplexing listen.
The previously released ‘Shame’ continues to shine through upon the album’s release, featuring an underlying cathartic tone and some excellent use of vocal loops.
‘Feasting’ has an attached sense of grandeur that is quite intangible, led by a marching beat and gospel infused vocals, it takes pride of place as one of the record’s most extraordinary compositions.
‘27’ pits an uplifting blend of a folk style hook and thumping synth against disconcerting lyrics in reference to killing ‘a man with my bare hands’ before ‘Rain Or Shine’s mesmeric organ and motorik rhythm thoroughly bewitch the listener with their ingenuity.
The poignant ‘Sirens’ is one of the album’s more unexpected tracks in terms of its musicality, emerging as an ambient and relatively minimalist effort that is elevated by exhilarating vocals; recalling the dynamic between dance producer SBTRKT and his frequent guest Sampha.
Led by a warped sample that sounds as though it could have been plucked from the The Gaslamp Killer’s back catalogue, ‘Old Rock And Roll’ features some of their most profound and essential lyricism to date, stating: ‘I’m tired of playing the good black, I’m tired of having to hold back, I’m tired of wearing this hallmark for some evils that happened way back.’
Easily one of the record’s most outwardly exuberant tracks, ‘Nest’ features pulsating bass over remarkably impassioned vocals; whilst the drum machines and sporadic piano of ‘Liberated’ sounds like a much less unhinged take on a Death Grips style soundscape.
‘Dare Me’ begins as a delicate and heart wrenching ballad before morphing into something altogether more visceral; leaving Get Started to round this triumph of a record off in a swirling vortex of pysch influenced keys and clattering percussion.
In summary, White Men Are Black Men Too is an extremely pleasurable assault upon the senses that further cements the group’s status as one of the most wildly unpredictable and brazenly experimental acts operating within music today.