There was a lot of pressure on Denzel before the release of his new album – after all, it’s really hard to follow an album like Imperial with something equally brilliant. The bar was set really high, but Curry met all the expectations – TA13OO is among the best releases of the year, and showcases an artist fully aware of his potential (and making the most of it).
While TA13OO is a concept album, it doesn’t really mean it’s very cohesive. That’s my biggest issue with it – the tracklisting seems a bit chaotic and weird, and I’m not sure it was really necessary to divide the record into three “acts”. Although to be fair, there is a bit of a concept present here, as the songs get more and more dark and agressive deeper into the album. So yeah, it feels a bit chaotic (maybe it was intentional), and that’s really the only problem I have with this record. Because the songs are executed perfectly – it’s one banger after another.
The opening title track features a gorgeously catchy chorus. The beautiful melody is contrasted by the rather disturbing lyrics to create a jaw-dropping effect. It’s one of the best things I’ve heard all year, but it’s not even the best track on this album. That title belongs to Black Balloons. The Kendrick Lamar influence is obvious here (the song would be a perfect fit on TPAB, both in terms of sound and quality), but Denzel has enough personality and character to give the track a unique twist (the features are great as well). Cash Maniac has great vocals delivered by Nyyjerya, while Curry’s verses are perfectly on point. The following Sumo is a track that we’ve known for a while, and it still totally slaps – a model example of a trap banger.
Act Two opens up with another banger, but Super Saiyan Superman might be actually the worst track on the album, as it feels a bit mindless. Luckily, the following streak of three songs is so damn good – especially Switch It Up, where Denzel’s delivery comes close to perfection – It’s focused, manic and sharp. Clout Cobain is a take on emo rap, and while Denzel does it much better than most of his contemporaries, it still comes off as one of the weakest tracks here.
The third act is the most brutal and disturbing, sometimes it sounds like borderline industiral. Percs is the obvious highlight here, and so is Vegneance, featuring a frantic verse by JPEGMAFIA. On the other hand, The Blackest Balloon is the closest thing this album has to a filler track, and I’m still not quite sold on Black Metal Terrorist (although it works brilliantly as a closer).
Just like Imperial was, TA13OO is a must-listen. In case any of you are still sleeping on Denzel – you’re making a huge mistake. Dude has released two albums that are bound to be future classics, and he’s still only 23! It’s frightening to think just how good he’s gonna be in a few years’ time.
8/10
Fear of Music 