Tag: ANTI

BigBabyGucci – “ANTI” review

This is the 5th full-length studio LP from Charlotte, North Carolina recording artist BigBabyGucci. Start in the summer of 2016 off his debut EP ART HOE Collection, he would continue to build a name for himself by putting out 19 more EPs as well as his last 3 full-lengths & a mixtape along the way. Baby 5 came off some of his best LPs & EPs to date When U Wake Up & When You Go to Sleep respectively continued the acclaim, which the alternative-heavy ANTI will surely elevate.

“Senzu” starts by singing over a rage beat from thr6x that he would never make someone do anything they won’t ever want to do poppin’ a band whereas “Lost Control” featuring Aloïs brings the 2 together for a smooth duet revolving around themes of love. “How U Feel” psychedelically sings about people keeping it trill & others switching up ratting on him leading into the pop rap/trap crossover “Givenchy Paintings” featuring MDMA co-produced by Rafmade assuring his lover they know he’ll be there soon.

Meanwhile on “Xo”, we have BBG singing over synthesizers about an ex of his having a new man on top of a new bag & new problems just before “Cheap Thrills” goes full-blown cloud rap asking those using a short-lived moment of excitement or pleasure that is ultimately unsatisfying when they’re gonna pay. “Badina” has a bit of a Ye or the Nazi formerly known as Kanye West influence promising he’ll never keep her waiting while “The Fall Thru” is a 2-parter going through the motions.

“Sandbox Raps” starts the 2nd half of ANTI flexing that he got bigger toys in his sandbox while “Cape Town” instrumentally pays homage to The Neptunes down the 4-start count at the very beginning rapping about not knowing any mercy. “Under the Influence” hazily wants everyone that tells him they have his back to actually prove it, but then “Fancy & Focused” luxuriously suggests he might buy the bank since he’s so money hungry.

Nearing the final leg, “Hype” gives off a stripped-back trap vibe hearing the pussy fire only for him to leave after hitting it since people were gassing it up to him while the cloudy “Linkup USA” sings that he hope his lover follows him whenever he dips out. Bad Kids” featuring Thouxanbanfauni pushes further towards the conclusion boasting that both of them are 1 of a kind & “Air” finishes with a catchy heater needing his romantic interest to come on by.

Originally intended to be an EP, ANTI surpasses both When U Wake Up & When You Go to Sleep as the most essential entry in BigBabyGucci’s discography elevating his artistry to newer levels. The alternative production is a refreshing change of pace for him compared to his earlier material, demonstrating his range both as a rapper & most importantly as a singer.

Score: 4/5

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Crossworm – “ANTI” review

Crossworm is a 42 year old recording artist & producer from Grand Rapids, Michigan starting as 1/2 of 2Korpse before branching out on his own for the full-length solo debut Phoenix. This was followed up by a sophomore LP Ready to Burn alongside 2 EPs Mouth Full of Dirt & jaws: Deciduous respectively. Crossworm took a few years off after the latter only to return in the summer of 2014 by dropping 4 more albums: Parasite Avenue, Drowning in Restricting Thought, Finding X & Eat the Weak. Coming off his 3rd EP Gōst this past spring, that was all building up to the 7th LP in the Dirtcore Music founder’s discography & the 10th solo effort overall if you include all 3 EPs that I previously mentioned.

After the “Play” intro, the first song “Finally Alive Again” opens the album by setting the tone for it singing over synthesizers that he took a lesson from the brave whereas “Everything Changed” delves further into synth-pop territory singing that he needs his significant other here with him. “It’s Unheard Of” gives me a bit of an industrial vibe continuing to sing that he doesn’t know how it all came to him just before the quasi-funky “Candy” talks about trying to find something sweeter.

“Your Misery” points out that there’s no one out here in the street other than you & him over another synth-pop beat leading into “Get Out of Here” by Bodies Below Sea Level talking about finding themselves in these long waters they’re treading accompanied by an electro-pop instrumental. “Slovenly” makes it clear people tried to turn him at the stake again & he barely made it out alive with some rock undertones musically, but then “Burn” featuring Oblivia bringing back the funk a little covering The Cure joint of the same name.

The penultimate track “Protogeist” shoots for a spacier approach to the beat admitting that he’s on the fence of someone he used to be & someone that he’s actually never been in the past prior to “Feel” featuring Good Spells rounding out the LP on a cloudier note talking about feeling this woman whenever he breathes & knowing from when he sees it that them being a couple wasn’t meant to be.

This dude has always displayed his versatility over these past couple decades & for ANTI, he makes a stylistic departure from the horrorcore sound that he came up on in favor of drawing inspiration from synthpop music. His singing is reminiscent to that of the late LINKIN PARK frontman Chester Bennington & the production he cooks up is more reminiscent to that of Depeche Mode.

Score: 4/5

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