ASHAR - The Talented Mr. Kipling

ASHAR is an experimental electronic producer from London, UK. His works dabble in jazz, hip-hop and a random assortment of fruity delicacies. ASHAR’s latest album, The Talented Mr. Kipling is completely style over substance, yet at times it’s undeniably charming.

There are a few standout tracks, such as Futuristic Fancies and Platinum Slices, which are both excellent pieces that demand to be longer. The latter, most notably, adds layers of industrial-rock beneath its sugary sweet coat in an extremely pleasant manner. Unfortunately, the sweetness tends to wane towards the end of the album, leaving the listener unsatisfied with their serving. The last few songs, such as Ebony Pies and Plutonium Puddings, add nothing but dead weight to the album, and preceding songs such as Galactic Whirls and Brutalist Brownies offer little beyond a simple idea or two.

Evidently, ASHAR would greatly benefit from a sense of progression within his works; each track is rather repetitive, down to the copy-pasted beats. At times the melodic instrumentation tends to progress, yet the tracks unfortunately stagnant at a non-dynamic tempo. The fruity aesthetics and consistently rockin’ summer vibe certainly make up for the lack of development, and the range in dynamics between tracks are great enough to keep the listener engaged, though like a serving of junk food - they hardly satiate.

The Talented Mr. Kipling is playful, colourful, and doesn’t take itself too seriously. The skill of the producer is admirable, though; here’s hoping he will take more risky steps in their next release, as there’s very little to differentiate their sound from the competition. The aesthetic is irrefutably charming and incredibly captivating, but ASHAR is going to have expand upon them to greater detail if he wants to captivate the underground world.

Average

Listen to it here:

https://ashar.bandcamp.com/album/the-talented-mr-kipling

ASHAR - The Talented Mr. Kipling