Review Summary: Adult Swim beats and stories of life, love, and growth
Make no mistake, Versis is not a very technical rapper. He lacks the complex poly-syllabic rhyme schemes and the laudable punchlines of his contemporaries. Rather, the strength of his rhymes lies in their honesty and sincerity. Genuine and down-to-earth, his debut effort plays much like a tell-all-book that seeks to document the troubles and toils of life. Versis is a 20-something rapper hailing from Los Angeles, California; he is very much exposed to both the splendor and prospect of success of Hollywood and the gritty realism of life on the street. Illcandescent is a product of this dissonance. It acknowledges it and explores the journey of life and every stop along the way. Equipped with compelling storytelling along with laudable production from various collaborators, Illcandescent makes for a pleasurable listen.
The album's atmospheric production is a particularly strong point. Spearheaded by T. Hemingway as well as featuring input from underground staples such as Dibiase, fLatko, and Exile, the production provides a lush, sonic landscape for Versis to express his thoughts and reflect. Cohesive and coherent, the listener is treated to jazzy horns, clashing piano keys, harsh percussion, and droning vocal samples. Tracks such as "Rain Rain Rain" conjure images of lonely, rain-pelted street intersections out of a neo-noir drama while the immense backdrop of "Travelin" envisions cinematic grandeur and triumph. Dibiase's instrumental contribution on "The Journey (4U)" is just as optimistic and idealistic as Versis's lyrics on the song are. That is the main strength of the production. It serves to accentuate Versis's message. It is another voice reiterating the youthful optimism and frankness of his lyrics.
As for the subject matter itself, it encompasses diverse themes such as relationships with loved ones, social commentary, sexuality, and the doors of opportunity. Braggadocio swagger and battle rhymes are largely absent on this release. Versis chooses not to be confrontational or boisterous. His style is a smooth monotony that doesn't intimidate the listener. It is almost conversational in the way it seems to invite the listener to opine about the real-life issues he addresses that we all typically face. That is why this album succeeds so well; it reels in the listener in a dimension rarely explored.
Now, socially conscious subject matter itself isn't meritorious or the trademark of a good album. Rather, the successful execution of it is. Versis's lyrics, while simplistic, does offer a narrative-style laden with clever metaphors that is done well enough to warrant commendation. "Travelin" features many uses of car metaphors that equate lethargy and having a "low drive" to being "stuck in neutral" as well as analogies drawing parallels between the spiritual journey of life and the more literal journey of travelling via various transportation methods. "Slow Down" is a tale of young love and adolescent sexuality with a hook beckoning people to "slow, slow down" and "pump your brakes" so as to not rush in love. The title Illcandescent itself is a textbook example of a rapper's play on words. It is a portmanteau of ill (an adjective in hip hop circles denoting skillfulness) and "incandescent", meaning "bright" and "brilliant". The title highlights his cleverness as an MC. Versis doesn't rhyme six syllables across two lines nor does he come up with many esoteric double or triple-entendres but he doesn't have to. This relative simplicity lends itself to his down-to-earth demeanor. He, all throughout the album, seeks to tell a story for others to listen and learn from.
In summary, Illcandescent makes for a terrific listen. Succeeding on many fronts and facets, Versis and company have crafted an album worthy of your ears.
