Artist: Kotchy
Album: Two
Label: Done Right Recordings
Release Date: Feb. 1
Grade: B
Brooklynite trip-hop producer Kotchy evokes an intriguing vitality in his uniquely titled second studio album, Two. Filled with songs that play with the textural abstractions of the genre, there is an unmistakably open, inviting, and positive core that directs the album.
In fact, songs like "Good Luck" would not even sound too out of place at a club or party. That is, until the second half of the track begins, and things become less focused and indulgences start sneaking into the mix.
It is this sloppy characteristic that hampers the album as a whole. Even the best tracks succumb to a sense of being unfinished. The opening track, "Sometimes I Get Down," jumpstarts the album with a general focus on melody, sexual energy, and good vibes. As it winds along, the direction is lost, making it seem like Kotchy simply got bored with the original concept, started messing around, and kept the product.
Some tracks attempt a sound collage of sorts, like "I Left New York" and "Helicopter." They are certainly interesting, and even fairly creepy at times, but they leave little reason for repeated listenings.
Though it destroys a sense of unification, this same tendency keeps the tracklist always unpredictable and entertaining. This is in part because Kotchy shows a true potential to make a great blend of skyward gorgeousness, danceable bounce, and contemplative rap.
There are some melancholy moments, such as on "Getaway," in which he raps, "Sick and tired of lyrics trying to make a point/ and party tracks about raunchy sex and smokin' joints." Though he complains, he often finds a silver lining, usually in the form of an uplifting backing vocal.
After hearing the standout track "Coffee Breath Kisses," it becomes clear that a soothing positivity is really what drives the album. The man is fed up, and he's had his down moments, but in the end, he shares something unique and embraceable. This is not the first time an artist's spiritual gain meant a gain for all.
E-mail: arts@ubspectrum.com
