Review Summary: Damn, these tales from the dark side are pretty good.
Ever heard any tales from the dark side? I was glad to hear these "tales" that denzel had to tell. While the album isn't one solid storyline...it's more a mesh of separate occurrings and events. While this may just sound like an unfocused album, it's very focused in its general topics. Denzel tackles racial profiling, police brutality, gang violence, and life in the hood in general, or as he calls it "the dark side".
Nostalgic 64, while original in its own right, sounds like just another hip hop album at first listen. Just after about 3 days of hearing this in full I had been listening to the separate tracks, and really started to dig it. The elements that play it safe are done well: such as the rapping style of denzel. What's done outside the box in this album is the most interesting however. Denzel's lyricism is razor-sharp, violent, and very aggressive.
Accompanied by this are beats that range from trap to horrorcore. The album is fairly dynamic in its sound. The atmospheric production absolutely creeps into your head, and makes each song sound beautifully tragic. The album every once in a while will also throw in a skit, which really gives you a better insight on the lives of crime discussed in the album.
While it's a more alternative sound in 2013, I'm not gonna say this album is incredibly original. That's not a bad thing however, because believe me...the music is still good. I just couldn't help but hear the obvious influences from Tyler, the creator, and notice that this album sounded like an even more dark GKMC.
This album wasn't trying to be an original masterpiece however. It was just meant to be a good rap album. And that it was, the production, lyricism, story telling, and overall technicality is fantastic. While this album didn't blow me away I will absolutely bump it on car rides occasionally. Honestly, I didn't mind this not being some "critically acclaimed", deep confusing album. Its just straight forward, raw hip hop. And it represents the sound of modern hip hop very well.
