Review Summary: Context only kind of excuses lack of variety.
I feel that context is very important when listening to music. Although a piece of music may not aesthetically pleasing, there still may be a purpose behind it that helps understand what the music is trying to achieve. With Dark Energy, it is intended to be a footwork album in its composition. Fast paced, stuttering and energetic beats intended to be a background to make the feet move at intense speeds. And while I do understand that as the purpose for the album, I can’t shake the feeling of how formulaic it is.
Obviously there have been many albums that honed in on a sound and have made stellar albums, but Dark Energy comes across as something that intends to find its niche, but is never comfortable enough to play around with it. Across this album’s 11 tracks there seems to be a copy and pasted method of bassy, stuttering, synths coupled with vocal samples that seem to have little coherence with the schemes of the songs. While formulas are okay, it feels like Jlin is not totally confident with hers, not wanting to veer too far from the footwork sound.
This results in sounds that feel a bit unnatural and slightly out of place. While “Guantanamo’s” sadistic vocals certainly are haunting, just like how "Abnormal Restriction’s" scream of “I am not one of of your fans!” certainly are interesting, there is no real attempt to find a home for them outside of the formula. This results in the stuttering synths and the fast pace muddying any message that would have benefited from a different technique. In that regard, this makes the repetition of “So High” and “Ra” more effective within the scheme of things, because the terms are not explored; only used as a compliment to the energy.
Of course, there doesn’t have to be a meaning behind what is trying to be done here. Context is important. However, the same general mood of speediness, while creating entertaining individual songs, causes Dark Energy as a whole to offer no real surprises. “Guantanamo’s” pace is difficult to distinguish from that of “Ra”; just like how “Black Diamond” is structurally similar to “Expand”. With this album’s intention, the footwork that it is intended to create would not be any different if a single song was played on repeat.
I will not act like there are not enjoyable tracks here though. Infared’s wobbly synth with its well-timed drum compliments feels well put together, and “Black Diamond’s” percussion feels downright primal. And with "Black Bullet’s" orchestral texturing, coupled with "Mansa Musa’s" more cloudy vibe in its intro, it did feel like there were subtle nods to experimentation.
Despite what may have been said, Dark Energy did achieve its goal. But in doing so, it ignored the fact that it still is an album. Staying too cozy with its formula, it aspires to be good footwork, but does not seem confident enough to aspire to aim much higher than that.
