Cons: May still not be mainstream enough for some.
The Bottom Line: I enjoy listening to the maturing process of an artist. This record is a fine example of that and should open The Five Deez to a more diverse audience.
If you have kept up with me and my reviews, you will know that I am a fan of the school of hip-hop to which The Five Dees align themselves. Kinkynasti is basically a continuation of their first record, Koolmotor, the main difference being that it is polished and more focused. Between the two there was also a Japan-only release, Slow Children Playing. This time, the boyz from Cincy have made a statement that should have heads, not able digest their previous musings, "feelin' it"
The first thing that hit me about Kinkynasti was the energy it generates. It moves forward, pulling the listener with it. Fat Jon, producer supreme, is heavily influenced by modern dance music and techno. He takes these ideas and makes them his own, adapting them into a smooth flow of sublimely focused hip-hop energy that is unique in the underground scene. This time, rather than being what some have labeled as soft, Jon pushes forward. This gives Kinkynasti an upbeat feel and makes it more accessible to popular audiences.
The edginess that permeates Kinkynasti is also why I find it ultimately compelling. Artistic freedom and instrumental experimentation combine with Fat Jon's ability to effortlessly assimilate crafty breaks and catchy melodies into songs that move in and out of points spanning the emotional spectrum. There is nothing else like this going on in hip-hop. The beats have a more worldly feel perhaps influenced by the fact that Jon spent some years living in Germany where club music leans more toward the engineered organic. The range of emotions evoked from Kinkynasti are a continued source of amazement and pleasure, with each listen being unique based on my mood.
While Koolmotor meanders through ethereal planes of consciousness, Kinkynasti is more mature. The essence is focused on a higher plane where sparkling keys, angelic back vocals, smooth flows, and beats lock into the rhythm and tempo of the human heartbeat. This is a focus of Fat Jon and creates a relaxation factor that is better experienced than explained. Tracks like Another Love Affair, The Ocean, Sextraterrestrial, and The Rain have elements of both sexual energy and relaxation. The maturity can be felt both in the lyrical quality of the flow and the wholeness of the song construction, each composition being a single, self-contained idea. The longest track is 4.5 minutes.
I am also impressed by the way Kinkynasti deftly moves towards a more mainstream mindset. This is accomplished by upping the average tempo and pulling topics from more accessible sources. Tracks like Kinkynasti, Four Black Dudes, We Rock On, and B Girl show that The Deez are trying to broaden their sphere of influence. The smooth flows can easily deciphered by even the most basic common denominator of today's uneducated jumpers onto the hip-hop bandwagon. I'm not implying that you should expect to see The Deez on MTV or the cover of Rolling Stone but that's actually a good thing.
The Five Deez continue to impress me. They are undeniably hip-hop but so much more. Their "feel" reaches into techno, jazz, R&B, and even gospel. Fat Jon has built a reputation for his ethereal style of melancholy. What makes Kinkynasti such a breath, is that it takes more risks. The signature moves are all there but they are combined with more elements of hip-hop that are noticeably absent from Koolmotor and Fat Jon's solo efforts. The result is an appealing fresh record that propels itself into uncharted yet newly familiar territory.
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