One Self Children of the Possibility LP
Every once in a while an album comes along that makes you stop and realise that good hip hop, or good music for that matter, can be a rare thing these days. The new offering from One Self, aka DJ Vadim, Blu Rum and Yarah Bravo, is one of these albums. Their origins span 3 continents, their abilities have been honed through years of touring and recording with various outfits (Russian Percussion and Bullfrog to name two) or solo and their names should most definitely be familiar to you. After 4 solo LPs that showed Vadim’s ease in hopping styles and genres while keeping a distinct hip hop ethic in the music he crafts, the Russian beatsmith is back with a new project that cements his previous work with Yarah and Blu and lays the foundation for a musical future that will undoubtedly be more than rosy.
Combining the vocal stylings of Yarah’s sweet spoken-word sensitivities and Blu’s unique rugged rhyming flow with Vadim’s most interesting and experimental production in a long time, One Self offer up an album that embraces influences from around the world. The production is some of the best I’ve heard this year: heavily tinged by Caribbean and Eastern sounds and instruments, it’s stylistic in its execution and irresistible in its delivery. ‘Fear the Labour’ kicks things off with its proletarian theme, opening with a simple and powerful guitar melody that soon finds its ideal beat before Blu Rum invites you to ‘check the dirt beneath the fingernails’. This is swiftly followed by ‘Trying to Speak’, a track best described as true 21st century dub music. A real tour de force production wise with its grimey digital bassline and dubbed out rocksteady riddim ridden in fine style by Yarah and Blu, this is the track of the album for me. A statement of intent that doubles up as a sure fire anthem… drop this in any club and watch the floor flame up.
The album rolls on never letting the vibe drop or the interest flicker. The production switches between sunny, inspired offerings such as ‘Bluebird’, experimental instrumental outings like ‘SD2’ and warm, soulful vibes on ‘Temptation’ and ‘Over Expose’. The lyrics and flow are also of the highest order, with Yarah and Blu coming together in an inspired blend that is truly refreshing. Hearing them both together for the first time on a full album is a revelation. Blu’s delivery is as unique as ever, as he flips words like dominoes and hops through metaphorical hoops like a veteran stuntman. On the other end Yarah brings forth a more soulful delivery, with honey dipped lyrics and a spoken-word flow that is the perfect counterpart to Blu’s word hopping. Together they turn their ideas into a myriad of images in your mind and never fall into the trap of trying to force their cleverness or talent down your throat, instead letting it hit you full force with the combined might of Vadim’s production. Lastly the addition of DJ Woody makes for the perfect cherry on the cake. Given space at the end of a few select tracks he works wonders on the cut, letting his scratches breath and speak to you through the music, and adds a dimension to the sonic work of Vadim that is never overbearing or forceful. As an often under rated member of the UK DJ scene, Woody truly shows his musical leanings on this album, especially on ‘Trying to Speak’.
‘Children of the Possibility’ is the music of a unit working together in harmony and showing that the possibilities of hip hop are truly endless. While the times of two bar funk loops with ‘ahhh’ & ‘freshhh’ cuts maybe over, the times of musical possibilities and unexplored pathways are ripe for the plundering. One Self delivers possibly one of the best albums so far this year and one that is as intellectually challenging as it is musically exciting. Do yourself a favour this summer and open up yourself to the possibilities of One Self… you won’t regret it.
Stylistic in its execution and irresistible in its delivery
- Kper
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