The former pizzy capo continues his independent run with a new trilogy, Different Shade of Green
The first instalment is 8 tracks, starting things off with the anthemic 100 Miles and Running, a bass-heavy offering with it’s piercing sample, cutting enough for Phaze to run through, as he whizzes over the beat with emphatic expressions of hunger and determination. Settled in off the intro, Phaze delivers another of his signature abstract raps with Captain, further reinstating his position in the game, over a more harmonious loop breathing over the heartbeat the bass provides. Motivation continues with track 3, Malcolm In The Middle, more introspective raps are woven over the catchy combination of soulful sample and 808s. Track 4, though like it’s title is ‘Different’, however Phaze flowing menacingly over the eerie production delivers a current approach to his early style & sound. Though the tempo switches up on Oh What A Predicament, the sentiment remains, an aspirational number, celebrating hard work and dedication, lyrically uplifting, with a vengeance. Track 6, with it’s potent sample (that Max B fans will recognise), Phaze is able to create a song for the girls without the slightest conformity, it’s a rarity that he’s able to effortlessly paint into his discography. This is further proven with the very next track, Fatal Attraction, a deeper perspective and another example of his high level story-telling abilities. Just as you’re drifting away with the chimes, it’s back to business with $udbury Hill, continuing the ruthlessness of the intro over the upbeat production, with more confidence and authenticity, depicting the navigations through realities of life in London.
For the second edition, though the shade of green in the artwork is different, the quality of the project isn’t. Kicking off with the infectious Flirty, a melodic uptempo number, at this point it’s hard to even categorise the sound, especially as it transitions into the 2nd track, Shamima Begum, the very British and more boom-bap feeling, a realm he’s always been comfortable in, flowing nonchalantly but impactful, and that continues with Get Down, where we get LL Cool Phaze, far different to Track 4, the hard-hitting Perfect Flight Perfect Landing, another conceptual effort with an intensely focused Phaze (it’s to be noted that over all these varying tempos and sounds, he’s remained prominently consistent). The retrospective Kill Switch shines some light within, setting up for the heartfelt I Wish I Told You, You Could Fly, an ode to recent losses, although sad circumstances, the artistry to be vulnerable and omit that emotion is appreciated.
I understand why he split this into three, as it makes it easier for consumption and avoids a flood of music, which brings us to the first track, Deep Waters, another great choice to intro with (they serve as a spine for the trilogy overall). This project is starting to feel like an evolution of Hip-Hop, with tracks like Oops There It Is, a treble-heavy cut, providing the perfect platform for Phaze to emphasise over. It’s these polarities in production that really credit the sequencing, like Track 3, Higher Learning, A classic down-south sounding beat with the layered sample, and we already know tempo means nothing to Phaze, as he slaloms through the track. POS is another example of that abstract style we’re becoming familiar with, displaying a groovy flow over the spacey instrumental. Towards the latter end of the project and we get the theme music, Undertaker 99, it doesn’t initially stand out the way some of the previous ones might have, however, over the course of couple listens, it emerges as one of the better tracks, and nicely brings us to, New Shit, a call for things to come, though the last track, it signifies anything but the end.
One of the few real artists left, Phaze What once again delivers with this trilogy, a collation of experiences and emotions, with an assortment of flavours and a contrast of shades, ultimately a different shade of green.
ONE Fáris 