When emotion and creativity come together, it usually brings forth great pieces of art. “Cry for Health”, being made during a trying time in his life, is one of those works of art. It carries the influence and significance of the genre of hip-hop in Juss-1’s life, as well as the weight within him, relaying that raw feeling into words and melodies.
Composed of eleven tracks, each of which encompassing a certain depth and personality, is filled with endless rhymes and raps, really giving listeners a taste of what Juss-1 is capable of lyrically and artistically. When the first song “Gatekeepers” begins, the audience is immersed in a funky, fast beat, and lines such as “This one for my daydreamers/ what’s success? Is it granted by the gatekeepers/ or is it coming from a place deeper?”, hinting at the lengths this record will go through.
“Gütentag”, a word of greeting in German, leads with piano and clean guitar, as well as a dialogue, warmly welcoming everyone in like you’re at an actual pub or gig listening to the artist. The track mainly concerns him and his story, laying it all out in good structure, continuing to let his skill in songwriting shine: “I’m just looking for a moon to walk”, “Let intrusive thoughts win / I don’t know who’s the boss”. The layered vocals in the end are great, and the piano gives off a cafe-esque vibe.
With songs like “Nosferatu”, “Houston”, and “Michael Douglas”, you could really see the spontaneity and overall creativity between the lines. These tracks have their own energy and circumstance; for instance, “Nosferatu” has this bike-ride vibe to it, and the lyrics seem to come off like it’s meant to be sung with friends. “Houston”, a feel-good song, would make you want to be somewhere familiar to be able to feel that pleasant feeling to its full potential. “Michael Douglas” consists of a really good bassline that shines, with the line “Hard to keep proportion when perspective is distorted” standing out in particular.
“Phantom 309”, where to begin… he would be right to describe this song as the one that would give listeners the reason to stick around, and see that he “puts the gust in gusto”, if you will. It talks about the process of making this art, and how he feels in general: hating repetition and reminiscence, procrastination and distractions, rambling streams of consciousness in the best way as everything’s arranged and structured really well. It also shows how authentic he is, with “The hardest lesson that you learn is how to be yourself”. It all ends in an eerie-like tune, a component that was somehow masked in the whole song up to that very moment.
People would usually be able to tell how real an artist is when they incorporate inevitable politics into their work, and that’s “Hell Is Where the Heart Is” for Juss-1. Mentioning loving and hating America, school shootings, and the witty and awesome line of “When the hell did politics turn into sports teams?”
“It’s hard to pick your battles when you’re sleeping with the enemy” just strikes a chord, from the song “Shapes”. In essence, it’s about adjusting to a person’s wants and needs, expressing that change in shapes: “Turn myself into different shapes for you”. Meanwhile, the subtle horns in “Side Effects” are great, as it’s a track about the passion for rapping and making music ever since birth; it also tackles his childhood and the changes and challenges he’s endured throughout life, questioning if everything’s got something to do with pills or just “the side effect of living”. It’s a beautiful analogy.
The title track, “Cry for Health” is the second to the last, and it shows great vulnerability. With the line delivery filled with emotion, one could tell a certain part where the line after line just keeps going, as if representing repressed thoughts. It’s both personal and relatable, creating an underlying connection between artist and listener.
Finally, “Smile Back” starts with piano, consists of reflection with the pertinence of life fulfillment changing perception of eventual death, or just the overall acceptance of death that will eventually come to us all: “When death smiles at me, I’m the type to smile back”.
There’s nothing better than meaningful art, which describes this entire album. Sticking to what music he enjoys and his own feelings, Juss-1 has created something beautiful with both. The sound naturally contrasts with everything else, but that’s what makes it versatile and convenient; anyone can listen to it anytime and anyplace.
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About the Author
Kate Clarice Lee is a psychology major in Ateneo de Naga University with a knack for music and writing. She takes interest in playing guitar, poetry, creative writing, and lyrics that—subjectively—hit close to home. Kate mostly enjoys indie, alternative, pop & punk rock music.
