A clever mix, TOP NINJA confounds expectations with the multi-faceted work of “MAYBE”.
A clever mix, TOP NINJA confounds expectations with the multi-faceted work of “MAYBE”. The mixture of R&B, hip-hop, G-funk, and more enter into the equation to give the entirety of the experience a fully realized, fleshed-out quality. His voice truly serves as the heartbeat of the whole thing. With more than a nod to Biggie Smalls’ sense of tempo, he never feels rushed, rather there is a reflective quality to the piece that feels outright joyous to behold. Grooves here match up with the sheer energy of his lyricism, one that has a steady heaviness. Virtually lumbering on through, the beats and the bass hit with a physicality.
From the first moment the song’s slinky, low-slung temperament works wonders for the sound. The melodies waft on through, and the sampling feels fantastic. Various different layers that enter into the equation help to truly embody his mellowed-out attitude. Warped elements of the sound add to the surrealistic aspect of the piece. Such a hazy atmosphere means that there is a degree of thoughtfulness that enters into the equation. A slew of small details gets magnified enormously, from the deep bass quality to the clever saxophone licks. By tracking a little bit of jazz on the edge of the sound there is a coolness to it all, for the way that it elaborates on that initial theme has a grandeur about it all. Towards the end it all seems to float away for the yearning becomes more prominent.
“MAYBE” features TOP NINJA’s ability to set an atmosphere and to fully explore it.
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