Review Summary: Diminishing returns
The Return is one of the most glorious hip-hop excursions in recent memory. Genuinely heartfelt and expressive in a sublimely dilettante yet never unfocused way, the record encapsulated the Zambian musician's own unique artistry, with richly interwoven world music influences that threaded through the body of the project with palatial elegance. Needless to say, the album was always going to be a hard one to follow, and Sampa The Great's second record is the most apt example of a sophomore slump I have ever encountered. See that rating up there? The 3.5 that I'm forced to attribute to this record as a final verdict? That's accurate. As Above, So Below is great. It's better than 'good', to be sure. But The Return was a masterpiece. The epithet of 'I'm not mad, I'm just disappointed' came to mind multiple times during my listening process of this album, but upon reflection it doesn't seem fair because the expression implies some fault on the part of the recipient. There is nothing at fault on this release, and were it a debut, or following virtually ANY record other than The Return, my response would be so much warmer that the offhand way I feel forced to appraise this collection. But unfortunately, this feels like mac n' cheese microwave meal following a steak and wine dinner; an underwhelming follow-up that I feel almost guilty I don't enjoy more than I do.
The production here is immaculate, and gives a glossy finish to an entertainingly eclectic hip-hop record. There is a far greater focus this time around on forming a comparatively more typical hip-hop sound, so the diversity of the songwriting feels more linear even though it takes great pride in frequently colouring outside of those lines. This is one of the key aspects where the gulf between this album and its predecessor is so garishly highlighted- it feels more constrictive in its influence. Where The Return sways between genre and prominent global influences in its sound, As Above... does likewise but with a heavier focus on beats n' bars. These aspects of the music are highly polished and always engaging, but lack the dynamic tendencies that made The Return so endearing and unique. That is not to suggest that these elements are missing- there are still various notable thematics at play that remind listeners of the raw power of Sampa's motivations. These tend to be more personal in focus this time around, examplified on such tracks as 'IDGAF' and 'Let Me Be Great'; these are both warcries that emphasize self-love and strong, sharp, feminine energy, and always feel genuine and proud, yet humble and relatable. The overarching sense of topicality, however, can't help but feel like it pales in comparison to the sprawling, epic nature of The Return, both in its ideological focus, and its music.
Lyrical preoccupations on the record primarily concern more introspective themes than its predecessor, and although The Return did feature a great many personal moments, these were predominantly statements set against a grander analytical context. Whilst such mindful expanse can also be observed here, it is decidedly less broad overall, and features more instances of reflection and artistic meditation. This is noteworthy on virtually every track, but 'Imposter Syndrome' and 'Can I Live' stand out especially, and showcase the heartfelt vulnerability that makes Sampa such a relatable figure. 'Imposter Syndrome' is exceptional in this regard, utilising intriguing tribal melodies with a fitting vocal accompaniment that echoes the sentiment of The Return with its whole soul. It displays the merging of hip-hop and world music in a most delicate way, and emphasises the dominant traits of each genre with grand aplomb. There is a lightness of touch with how Sampa knows exactly when to throttle down on the hip-hop preoccupations, and when to allow the earnestness of the more musical moments kick in, and these are uniform in their intuitive implementation throughout the record.
The blending of influence and transitions are consistently indicative of the lyrical topicality also, and always complement the intended tone in a remarkably smart way. Opener 'Shadows', for example, has a number of lyrical tidbits that are both dark and personal ('All of my demons is runnin''/ 'you can't replicate a shooting star...'), offset by a glockenspiel melody that emulates a hip-hop characteristic but in a nuanced way. The intro develops into a panpipe-led conclusion that is accompanied by a patois vocal, and this transition happens smoothly and with the cohesive flair constantly exhibited on The Return. The more hip-hop centric moments, such as Denzel Curry feature 'Lane' and later cut 'Tilibobo' are minimalist in conceit and disciplined in their execution, and always find a way to subvert the typical hip-hop rudiments by way of an instrumental change or unusual vocal pattern, such as the use of brass on 'Imposter Syndrome', or the careful beat switches on 'Lo Rain'. As Above... is exceptionally fluid with these changeups and the compositions never lapse into typicality, but either due to the more contained running time or the more focused topicality, it never hits the stride that The Return was able to so gracefully attain early on.
As Above, So Below is a struggle. It does what it does with deftness and a finesse of style that results in a wonderfully precise hip hop journey, and its personal flourishes are undoubtedly sincere, showcasing a carefully controlled artist with a clear vision and self-assured passion. It also flirts excessively with the world music influence that Sampa's style has become noteworthy for, giving listeners glimpses into the eclectic musical landscape that she is capable of. The musicality itself is sharp, metronomically offering raw beats and more refined, musical compositions that allow her rhymes and vocals to feel comfortably nestled within a niche, but never too constricted. However, I have to return to the complaint made at the outset of this review; the album is lacking the richness and grand underpinning that made the rapper's previous effort such a masterpiece. It is perhaps unfair to lament this fact as much as I have, because when viewed as an individual body of work, the album is great, and deserves to be enjoyed both for its entertaining music, and its thoughtful, stark lyrics that offer far more incisiveness and honesty than the majority of modern mainstream rap acts put together. It is therefore such a shame that, contextually, As Above, So Below is a step down, in vision, in scope, and most fundamentally, in ambition.
