Review Summary: An emotional wreck
The emotionally charged, confessional rhymes of Cody Foster are simultaneously fresh and achingly familiar- every song an ethereal, candid miasma of dense wordplay and unconventional musicality. A visionary artist; one of the few in modern hip hop who genuinely appears to write from his artist’s voice, with no veneer or conjured image- candid, colored in shades of light and dark. Whether through the incisive nostalgia or the no-holds-barred realism, this depth has earned Sadistik's music a dedicated fanbase of new-age hip hop aficionados and rap purists alike.
Salo Sessions downplays the emotional intensity and places more emphasis than usual on the darkness; a move that yields some unexpected results. Between the release of first LP
The Balancing Act and the more recent
Ultraviolet, the style has remained largely consistent, save for one aspect; atmosphere. The world-weary broodiness has always served as the base notes to Foster’s releases, but
Ultraviolet took an even more sombre, contemplative route. The musing dissonance of '1984', the soft melancholy of 'Orange', the intense energy of 'Death Warrant'; the album felt much more disillusioned, cynical, especially when compared to veiled hopefulness exhibited by his first two albums.
Salo Sessions continues this trend and gives listeners a glimpse into the future of Sadistik, were he to continue this descent into cynicism.
The overall atmosphere of the album is very dreary, both in terms of composition and production. Lyrically, the release feels a little underwritten, and despite showcasing some creative flows, the slick atmosphere really steals the show. As a result, the vocal becomes a composite element of the music itself, creating a somewhat homogeneous experience. Although some more meaningful themes would have given the release an extra dimension, the merging together of the different parts helps support the EP’s otherworldly aesthetic. The opening strains of 'Waves' are an immediate emotional slap- a dreamy synth, clipped female vocals, a stuttered beat. The instrumental breaks are a welcome addition, but the unpleasantly repetitive nature of the chorus (a trait also featured
Ultraviolet), clouds the overall effect. ‘Out The Dark’ is also guilty of this, although, thankfully, the decidedly more minimalist style of this track allows the vocal to shine a little more.
The demented lullaby melody of 'You Dead' and the caustic percussion of 'I Bought A Gun' are serviceable enough in their anthemic intentions, the latter especially integrates a decent hook into the chorus and makes innovative use of firearm sound effects, but both feel a little too basic in musicality, lacking any notable emotional draw, even in the lyrics. Contrasting this is the thoughtful, cynical 'Videodrome'. Opening with a soundbyte from the eponymous movie, it is bass-heavy, appropriately grim, and features a refreshing change of direction in the midpoint. It is undoubtedly an EP high-point, evolving a more mature tone as it progresses, both musically and vocally. The best lyrical flourishes on the release, however, are found on final track, ‘Mourning Glory'. With an impressive flow the centerpiece, the composition somehow manages to be simultaneously subdued and intense, crafting a memorable, emotive confession of angst and heartbreak.
Sadistik’s progressive style of alternative hip hop will never be unwelcome, and it is refreshing to see him embracing the darkness on an even more intense level. Maybe because it is an EP (and a free one at that), the overall tone is not fully realized, rendering the overall experience oblique, fractured, and lacking in staying power. The despair seems to pervade the music more than the lyricism, and whilst this is not overtly lamentable, it is Sadistik's moving rhymes listener's pay the price of entry for. Nonetheless, there are some interesting ideas at play here- although hopefully, Foster will backpedal somewhat with the gloomy, depressed ides for future releases, to allow him to focus more on overarching themes and form that familiar, twisted entity he is so adept at crafting. An appetizing experience, certainly, but lacking in that viscous clarity that makes Sadistik so unique.
