ReBorn is the latest album from up-and-coming artist NeyQuam. The album consists of 26 tracks. Yes, you’ve read that right—26 tracks. That is 1 hour and 12 minutes of hip-hop, RnB, and rap music. The LP features many artists who added their flavor to the tracks. ReBorn’s biggest accomplishment is its length. It’s very rare to find an artist with the guts to release a 26-track album. In a world full of singles and EPs, NeyQuam decided to show the world that he is unafraid to brave the waters and take his shot.
Since this album has 26 tracks, let me focus this review on the overall listening experience, and then I’ll give my top songs. ReBorn has many great single contenders that are just bangers. Let me start with “Everything Matters.” The autotune effect on the chorus adds a different vibe to the overall track.
Another track that I like is “Who I Am.” The flow and the lyrics on this track don’t sound forced compared to the others, making it a great single contender. The melody of “Tell Me” resembles RnB tracks from the early 2010s, and the overall theme of the track works hand in hand with the melody.
I love the beat on “Wake Up Drippin.” The lyrics and the overall sound of the track work like a charm. The addition of the “Hey” sample in the background of “Wassup for Tonight?” is dope. Super dope.
The overall in-your-face mix of the track “Emotional” is fire, while “Somersault” has the most interesting keyboard sample out of all the tracks on this LP. “Gameover” is, in my opinion, the best track to use for a product-based commercial because of its beat and flow.
The track “Dead In a Drought” has this ready-to-fight kind of feel to it, making NeyQuam an artist not to be messed with. “Used 2 Doubt” has this new rap feel because of the bass and guitar riff in the intro and throughout the track.
The sample used in “Kinda Famous” is fire. The overall track has this bouncy feel, making it a great single contender. Another great single contender from this LP is “Gymnastics.” The track gives off this dope vibe. The flow and the beat on this track work perfectly together. Lastly, “Moving On Up (Free Body) [Love You Bro]” has a slow beat that is the perfect finale for the LP.
I’ve listened to the LP for 3 days, and one of my criteria for reviewing music is understanding the artist’s identity. It’s a term I use to understand what sets that artist apart from the others. We have Michael Jackson and his iconic voice, Prince with his guitar prowess, and T-Pain with his iconic autotune style, just to name a few.
NeyQuam may not have that, but then I realized that what sets NeyQuam apart is his adaptability. Every track has a different offering—a different flavor, per se. He has many featured artists, but you can’t hear or feel that he’s overpowering them, and that is a one-of-a-kind skill. The skill of understanding what the music needs, not just what the artist wants.
Overall, ReBorn is a well-balanced album. It has many bangers and a lot of great filler songs. If I were to produce this album, I would make it a three-part album. The worry about releasing a 26-track album is the listening experience. There are a few people who would appreciate the LP from top to bottom and would binge it all night long but there will be others who will just pass it up because of its intimidating length but then again, my opinions are subjective and my own.
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About the Author
He has been in the music industry for two and a half decades. Currently, he plays bass guitar for a rock-reggae band called EnjointPh and a funk-fusion trio called Banky. He also hosts a podcast titled Usapang Musiko with Ervin Besana, which explores topics such as music, arts, and philosophy.
