Astrakhan - Reward in Purpose Classixx - Faraway Reach Drake - Views Islands - Should I Remain Here at Sea?/Taste Astrakhan Reward in Purpose War on Music / Sunmask Astrakhan arose towards the end of 2012 in the midst of the rich ever-growing metal scene that resides in Vancouver and its surrounding area. Reward in Purpose follows an initial steady stream of EPs and marks the first full-length of a band that, in their first four years together, has continually demonstrated a resolute dedication to pursuing a well-defined and captivating musical undertaking. The ten-minute opening track “Omajod,” is an appropriate introduction for the group’s first full-length release. It begins gradually, building momentum with a deep, resonating psyche groove before giving way to a long, grim scream that pierces the hazy atmosphere and showcases a darker side of the band. The bands numerous stylistic influences shine forth throughout the album. Generally straying to the heavier edge of progressive metal, such as in the driving “Microcosmic Design.” Their more sludgebased and gloomy elements also remain. Riff-driven tracks like “The Traveler” maintain their attentiveness slow-burning grooves, and also allow the vocalists free range to illuminate their dynamic range. Clean, symphonic lines are juxtaposed by gripping, guttural screams. Their ability to straddle greatly varied inspirations allows listenability throughout the record’s entirety, and therefore has the potential to reach a vast array of listeners. Fans of the grittier prog-rock of a band like early Tool, avant-garde and melodic Norwegian black metal like Arcturus, and definitely fans of story-driven stoner rock like The Sword. • Paul Rodgers Classixx Faraway Reach Innovative Leisure Classixx are one of the more intriguing production teams in recent memory because of their ability to make the album a worthwhile experience in a singles driven music landscape. Their 2013 debut Hanging Gardens found a cohesiveness that is rarely found on the dance music LP, opting for a more leisurely style indebted to disco, new wave, and funk. That said, that album also suffered from a sameness and a decent amount of bloat. The duo, consisting of Los Angeles natives Tyler Blake and Michael David, return with their sophomore long-player Faraway Reach, which boasts an intriguing collection of guests, but often suffers from the same issues as it’s predecessor. Despite a few missteps, Faraway Reach is often a joy to listen to, balancing Balearic grooves and LA synth-pop perfectly. Songs like “Just Let Go” find Classixx in a highly collaborative mood, using guest vocalist How to Dress Well to perfect effect. Elsewhere, stand out single “Whatever I Want” features T-Pain in a combo that works much better on record than it does on paper. T-Pain’s auto-tuned crooning is more subdued than his more boisterous pop rap hooks, perfectly complementing the mid-tempo bliss that Classixx have crafted underneath him. • Jamie McNamara Drake Views Cash Money Records Early into the daunting, 120-minute runtime of Drake’s recent opus Views, the Toronto rapper insists “Views already a classic.” Of course, to declare an album a classic before it comes out is an absurd gamble, but if any artist making music in <strong>2016</strong> were to stake the claim, it could only reasonably be Drake. Views is an interesting record because of its place in Drake’s career. The album’s original announcement over two years ago felt like a much-deserved victory lap for one of the biggest rappers of all time. Of course, that announcement took place before just about every ubiquitous cultural moment that Drake seemed to find himself at the centre of in the following years. It seems that Drake’s own success is his own undoing, of course he’ll tell you that himself in most of his songs, but it has never felt more true than on Views. The massive releases of If You’re Reading This… and What a Time to Be Alive found Drake owning the rap industry simply by playing by his own rules. Traditional release methods make Views feel like a step back for the rapper that always seems to have a finger on the pulse. Still, it’s not just the release methods that make Views feel like a step back. Sonically, the album shares more in common with Take Care than it does with Drake’s more boisterous oeuvre. Views is contemplative Drake, for better or worse. The rapper is often examining what it means to be a global superstar, but the album is also a love letter to the city that Drake loves so fiercely. All together, Views functions better when Drake focuses on the latter. The album is pastiche of styles that have found success in a massively diverse Toronto. Afrobeat and Caribbean influence crop up often, with genres like grime and New Orleans bounce also lending themselves to the mix. Drake’s contemplations can’t help but feel stale, especially because he’s retreading wellworn ground. We know about Drake’s issues with relationships, but what was acceptable for a 24-year-old on Take Care is often groan-inducing for a man almost in his thirties. Drake’s ruminations on past relationships are often emotionally stunted, the petty product of a mildly narcissistic manchild that avoids nuance in favour of unwarranted braggadocio. As always, Drake’s music is his saving grace. Songs like the newly Popcaan-free “Controlla” and the Rihanna-featuring “Too Good” are both song of the summer contenders because they show the side of Drake that isn’t brooding for once. • Jamie McNamara Islands Should I Remain Here at Sea?/Taste Manque Music When a band releases two records in quick succession, one of two things can happen. Either both records can sound largely the same, leading 32 REVIEWS <strong>June</strong> <strong>2016</strong>
<strong>June</strong> May <strong>2016</strong> 33
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