Review Summary: Anyone could tell you that you got bad luck/But a teacher can't teach us how to give a fuck
Jordan Asher is no stranger to mixing and producing R&B and hip hop music. Having worked on Beyonce’s self-titled album back in 2013 and
Run The Jewels 2 just last year, Asher has already crafted a name for himself as a valuable music producer. On his solo debut
AQUARIA, Boots exposes a slightly different side of himself in terms of style and creativity, and is ultimately able to compose a unique and gratifying piece of work that hits its mark more often than not. “Brooklyn Gamma” kicks off the album with snappy, fast-paced drum beats accompanying layered, soulful vocals and a heavy electronic bassline. “C.U.R.E.” strives for a more hip hop-oriented sound, drawing parallels to his colleagues El-P and Killer Mike.
Asher’s electronic influences also play a huge part in the album, combining DnB and industrial elements to form a very distant, far-flung atmosphere alongside his detached, distorted vocals. “Bombs Away” exemplifies this best, treading carefully between bombastic drums, intense bass, and a calm, placid chorus. Additionally, though, there’s a strange, almost extraterrestrial pulse coursing through the music. From the fuzzy basslines, to the glitchy synths, and all the way up to the rhythmic clicking of the drums, you get the feeling that while Boots has an idea of where’s he’s going and how he’ll get to his destination, he’s never really
there.
AQUARIA isn’t by any means a perfect debut. Some songs, such as “Dead Come Running”, drag on just a bit too long, and the album itself could use a bit more variety, especially with all of the slower tracks littered about. That doesn’t mean that there’s any trace of sluggishness or lack of flow on the album, but the experience could have been more dynamic with a slightly less brooding atmosphere. Despite some minor setbacks, however,
AQUARIA manages to stand strong as a solid beginning to Boots’s solo catalog. With an already prestigious reputation and his feet firmly planted on the ground, the sky’s the limit for Jordan Asher’s future endeavors.
