Journey // Destination is Raw Soul’s newest LP to date, and if I can be honest, his style of music is a breath of fresh air. We live in an age where, in order to reach the top, you have to rap in a fast-paced style, you need to have an overly used sample, and you need to have that garish flow. Raw Soul is, from his name, Raw and Soul.
Let’s start with the first track, “Terra.” The sample created in this track screams old-school hip-hop! Classics are classics for a reason, and this track screams timeless. The flow and the beat work like butter and milk. It’s very rare to hear an artist who defies the natural flow of what is hip.
I specifically like the bass line on “To The Top.” I can sense that the team behind the production are real musicians—musicians who appreciate real music—and I get it; we are now in the digital age of overly used samples, but the team behind this track decided to just get behind the instrument and really get in there.
I can sense that when “How’s That Sound” is being mixed and mastered, Noizy and Raw Soul are just bouncing and dancing. That slick drum pattern, the crispy-bassy hi-hat tone, the snare tone, plus the keyboard lick are just stanky-face material. By the third track, I now get it. Raw Soul is Boom Bap with soul hip-hop rap. He’s not into that multi-syllabic chopping style, and that’s what sets Raw Soul apart from others. It’s the feel and the groove.
“A While” is Boom Bap in its honest form. The bass line, the keyboard line, and the flow are just honest to goodness. Every time I listen to this track, I feel like I’m driving on a sunny Sunday morning. “Monk” has the same feel as “A While.” The sample, plus the keyboard line on this track, works hand in hand with the flow.
“2012” is another great single contender because of the flow, the bass line, and the drum pattern. The flow is smooth and easy to understand. I would choose this style of hip-hop any day. The use of the keyboard line, plus the instrumentation on “Words From Your Tongue,” creates depth and grooviness in the overall track.
I tried looking for a possible area of improvement, but for me, I think there’s none. Other hip-hop enthusiasts and potential reviewers might say that it’s not flashy, it’s not something that the masses would appreciate, but after reviewing a lot of hip-hop tracks, this LP is far better than the flashy, over-the-top, and overly used samples that we hear now.
On “Simple Breeze,” we now hear a smooth guitar riff with that tad bit of keyboard line that complements that pocket drum pattern. What I particularly like about this track is that the vocals sit well in the mix. The instrumentation doesn’t overpower the rap flow; they all gel together perfectly.
The orchestral intro on “What’s Next?” is a breath of fresh air. For me, it has gone full circle. We’ve heard guitars, bass, keyboards, and drums, and it’s fitting to hear a string instrument in one of the tracks on this LP. I believe it’s only fitting for the lead single, “Journey // Destination,” to be the final track of the LP. The chorus hook on this track is catchy, and the vocal sample used does not overpower the overall sound of the track. It’s sitting well in the background. The beat change in the latter part is genius! That snare-click sound alone is screaming Boom Bap!
Overall, The Journey // Destination LP is a great addition to the newest hip-hop rap albums of the year. As cliché as it sounds, this LP was created by musicians. Real musicians. Musicians who are in it for the art and the culture.
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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.
