Menthol Slim - Kilonova
Menthol Slim is a Jamaican-Canadian rapper who fuses experimental hip-hop, trap, rock, soul, psychedelia and blues. His debut, Kilonova, does a marvellous job at infuses these elements, while also showcasing Menthol’s tremendous vocal talents.
There are plenty of ingenious moments throughout Kilonova. Conversation with Satan is as smooth as butter, with a solid flow and a lush, rock inspired opening. Care Less continues the trend, with its smooth and inviting production. Lines such as “coco puff for these bitches go nuts” come out so smooth, despite being so crass. While at times it may sound like a tamer Danny Brown, Slim’s vocals are distinct and stand on their own. Texaco is a great contrast to previous songs. The song is more upbeat, and Slim sounds less like Danny Brown and more like Kendrick Lamar and Chance the Rapper here. This is a testament to how much range he elicits. Furthermore, he still manages to sound distinct, despite the vocal influences. The whispers throughout the song are gorgeous, as are the saxophones on the following song Birds. Do U is a solid song with a tight feature, but marks when the album starts to sound less distinct composition wise, as does How it go. Nonetheless, hooks are still distinct, and memorable. The same could be said for a lot of songs in the second half of the album. Enie Minie Moe is fairly straightforward, though it rocks a good vibe. Some songs boast an immaculate use of space, such as Bout Dat and Veins; both songs utilising a beautiful sense of electronic progression. Sadly, there’s a few shallow moments towards the end, such as I Am Legend and Living Dead. Gold is quite plain, bar the gorgeous rock outro. Lastly, the closing title track is rather disappointing.
Had the album been released in the first half of the decade, it would have made serious waves. This is a testament to the gorgeous production and consistent flow. However, the album regurgitates a lot of rap tropes from its inspiration. If anything, the album stands strongly on its own due to Menthol Slim’s charming vocals. In conjunction with the slick atmosphere, they make Kilonova a delightful experience, even during its duller moments. The rock-infusion throughout is also quite divine, and something that should seriously be expanded upon and refined. If Menthol Slim can exclude the filler on his next release, there’s little doubt his next effort will be extraordinary.
Good
Listen to it here:
Menthol Slim - Kilonova
