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 OKay, but not great... Oct 21, 2008
As the 1990's post-grunge era was usurped by boy bands and Britney, it seemed for a while that hip-hop might be music's only hope. Evidently, the hip-hop bubble burst. From 2005 to 2006, hip-hop/rap sales collapsed an alarming 21 percent. In fact, no hip-hop/rap album was among the top 10 sellers of the year for the first time in 12 years. Wherefore art thou, hip-hop?
In a commercially-woven "rapestry" fixated on bejeweled, Bentley-driving blingsters with infinitely more money than sense, the genre has - in large part - become more a celebration of bombastic cliché than a collective of sublime creativity. Where NWA and Public Enemy painted groundbreaking, original pictures of an urban reality as yet unseen, today's pseudo-poets do little more than glamorize it for personal gain or product spin-offs, content with marketing to the lowest common denominator. Whew - I could use a Vitamin Water®.
But perhaps not all hope is lost. There is a largely unreported, parallel universe in hip-hop that does occasionally render a glimmer of hope. Living in this altered state are Dutch producer Nicolay and Houston-based MC, Kay. Their collaboration, titled Time:Line charts a semi-autobiographical character arch from life, to death and there-after.
Demonstrating a deft - if not sometimes heavy - hand for blending samples with live instruments, Nicolay lays a rich, musical foundation for Kay's lyrical rhymes. Kay's tone and cadence are at once fluid and assertive without being abrasive; his lyrics personal and vivid, but not above humor and self-deprecation. N & K aren't necessarily breaking any new ground with Time:Line, but what they have assembled is a competent, heartfelt collection that flows easily from start to finish. We do find some of the usual references to urban violence, racial profiling and an affinity for the female species, but none of it plays as gratuitous or bawdy and is buoyantly buoyed by Nicolay's eclectic layers of organic and borrowed beats.
In the end, Time:Line probably won't save music - or hip-hop, for that matter. It does, however, add a voice to those in the genre aspiring to creativity, rather than Cristal.
1 of 1 found the following review helpful:
Nic Is That Dude... {4 Stars} Sep 22, 2008
I'm a fan of Nicolay, so I'm going to cop pretty much anything with his name on it. That being said, Time:Line lives up to expectations in terms of production. Nic doesn't miss a beat. If anything he tightened up his board work since his last outing -- the short but sweet Here. The difference being that there are no meandering tracks and every last one of them is excellently produced.
In terms of production, it's not Nic's best work, but it's still dope. The problem, if you can call it that, is Kay. While he's serviceable over Nicolay's production, he's very by-the-book with it and, as a result, he has trouble holding the attention of this particular listener. I don't know, maybe it's because I prefer hearing Nic's beats without lyrics. His 2005 release, City Lights, Vol. 1.5, is near classic in my book if not a bonafide classic.
Time:Line is a nice listen. It was underwhelming in spots, but it's still purchase worthy. Nicolay is still true to form on the boards and Kay, while coming up short in the charisma department, does manage to hold the album down for the most part. I'd recommend checking out the samples to make sure he's your cup of tea. If he passes the sample test, then you're in for a nice ride.
Standout Tracks: Through The Wind, What We Live, Tight Eyes (My Favorite), Blizzard, and I've Seen Rivers
Nicolay is once again - Flawless! Jul 08, 2008
BOTTOM LINE: Nicolay is the Betterman from the Netherlands! His musical catalogue is growing more impressive with each CD release. He has an ear for lush sounds, electronics, synth, and dope beats. I thoroughly enjoyed TIME:LINE, (even though I am still spoiled from FE's 'Connected'). The music is amazing. Kay's lyrics are rather esoteric - kinda all over the place. Nothing he says really sticks but, he flows nicely over Nics beats. The guests vocals contribute nicely without overshadowing the main stars - Nic and Kay.
grade:
Beats: A+
Lyrics: B-
Overall: B+
Original and exciting album. Jun 04, 2008
This is an oasis in a Hip Hop desert.
The beats are far more interesting and exciting than 99% of what is happening in Hip Hop these days.
Original melodies and tight beat programming.
Raps are solid, relevant to the beats.
If you feel jaded by the current Hip Hop menu, this is the dish to refresh your palate.
Solid album from front to back May 17, 2008
Not many albums are listenable from front to back nowadays. This one is. The combination of Kay and Nicolay is a treat. Highly recommended!
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