The regurgitation of some of music’s most pre-eminent figures is a sentiment that has long been rooted within the natural volatile struggle for tyrannical dominance within hip-hop. With an ever-expanding oversaturation of the genre, it often falls upon the shoulders of the unadulterated innovators to prod at the waters. Among the most notorious for repeatedly doing so, is the forever boisterous, Chicago native Kanye West. On this occasion, the mogul returns, in an uncharacteristically timely fashion to pursue a unanimously unjust sustained string of musical uproar. Primed on his latest track ‘Wash Us In The Blood’ the denouncement anthem joins the saga of blase motivated hysteria, whilst simultaneously recommencing on his religiously inclined path. Poised to make a more extravagant return than most, Kanye’s emphatic escape from previously hushed hibernation is assisted by a prominent feature on Ty Dolla $ign’s ‘Ego Death’. With the presence of the duo track delight, an air of cheek and tease of the next era-defining movement from the virtuoso brews upon the horizon in anticipation.
The most outwardly formidable aspect of Kanye’s righteously repentful return is the emphasis on gargantuan, eccentric production. Streamlining the song with a culmination of grandiose gospel notes taking influence from his previous record ‘Jesus Is King’, whilst simultaneously harbouring the relentless rage and jarring industrial nature of ‘Yeezus’, the track marks an unusual point of transitional cohesion. The Kanye discography has always been one that refutes the idea of backward progression, constantly striving to redefine his artistic credibility, yet the unlikely marriage of spiritual tenderness and harping dystopian rage seems fit to orchestrate the backdrop of the aptly named ‘Wash Us In The Blood’. Constantly building and gaining a sense of progressive urgency, the humble beginnings of warped, hypnotic synths atop primordial percussion is but a muted meander of the multifaceted climax that proceeds. Built throughout with additions of vocal shrieks, and the eventual meticulous rippling cascade of bellowing choral refrains, the instrumental refuses to be silenced, constantly expanding to fit the harrowing cathartic nature of the track.
The eventual shortcomings of the track lay outside the jurisdictions of the immaculate symphonic ambition of the production, and are instead provoked through vocal faults. Kanye, exempt from this rule, wastes no time in galvanising his presence, following the raw primordial awakenings with a like-minded invigorated performance. Through sheer brash exaggeration and emphasised vocal honks, Kanye stands tall as the authoritative anchor that directs the tracks otherwise scattered collection of enthralling passages into tamed chaos. Switching topically the track visits notions of the cleansing properties of Christ’s blood, resorting to acts confined within the criminal underbelly of society, and the suppressive disdain and filtration of the real Kanye, the songs material feels every bit as vivacious and boisterous as its production. Whilst in theory this remains varied there are moments of lulled blemish in which content grows tedious through penetrating impulsion that propels a tedious sense of repetition. Issues are further accentuated through the contributions of protege prodigy, Travis Scott, whose arrival marks the diminishment of vocals and deceptive thwarting of structural cohesion. Whilst on paper a stylistically appropriate fit for the rebellious dystopian flavoured anthem, the crooner fails to hold his own, bringing little to none of his expansive vocal nuances, and instead existing as a featureless hindrance. Through awkward and clumsy fitting, the painfully uninspired vocals disrupt the otherwise incapacitating vigour of claustrophobic eruption Kanye orchestrates.
Where ‘Wash Us In The Blood’ is built upon a foundation of fiery chaos that stretches the limitations of the term multifaceted, the effective ‘sister track’, for all intents and purposes, finds refuge in its counterintuitive extravagant vocal performances. Led by Ty Dolla $ign’s sinfully slick and subdued tone, the introspectively lavish track toys with the idea of personalised turmoil obligating modification for a loved one. Empowered by an emotionally withered essence, the track burrows itself into a pitiful nest of endearing despair. Bringing her, as always, enigmatic eccentric flair to the track is British singer FKA twigs who injects her nauseating flamboyant elegance to form the hypnotic comatose induced trance that eclipses the back end of the track. Whilst his collaborators relish in a tastefully understated and delicate form of expression, Kanye opts to instill emphatic movement through a cumbersome performance. Diluting internal sentimental passages with socio-political criticism and omnipotent commentary on the media’s facade motivated constituents, everything about Ye’s performance reeks of impassioned vigour. Whilst lyrically deviating from Ye’s own release, ‘Ego Death’ seemingly moulds its structure around direct influence from yet another past endeavour of the mogul. With infectious, slick synth production being supplied by Skrillex, albeit a little one dimensional especially given the dramatised performances laden atop it, moments of Kanye’s discography shine through. Namely, through the connective stylistic palette of the production, the sound feels largely reminiscent of tracks such as ‘Fade’ from ‘The Life Of Pablo’ record, as well as the infamous ‘I Love It’.
Kanye’s return seemingly disproves the looming air of doubtful speculation regarding his artistic direction and evolution. Posing as the ever enigmatic and eclectic archetype he so evidently revels in playing, both ‘Wash Us In The Blood’ and ‘Ego Death’ exude moments of versatile genius. More perplexing however is the apparent stylistic backtracking that occurs as Kanye revisits and utilises the fundamental tropes of previously defining eras. From sourcing the tumultuous, earth-shattering ferocity of Yeezus, to the more refined and pristine hypnotic synth production from The Life Of Pablo, it feels as if on the inevitable second take of Ye’s ambitious attempt to transition into the gospel realm, past influences will reign supreme, bringing the necessary inextricably ‘Kanye’ flavour needed to cohesively streamline his efforts. Whilst by no means a guarantee, the eclectic means of expression may well be an indicative precursor of the artistic direction present on ‘God’s Country’.
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Excellent review. Kanye is gonna be Kanye even now, while he worships and follows God.
I am curious why you believe that Ye’s recent music is a, “unanimously unjust sustained string of musical uproar.” You largely do the music justice in your description of it. But what about it is overzealous or “unanimously unjust” to you? Do you disagree with the urgency of his message, or the message itself, or is it something else? Because that is the main feeling I get from these tracks, and I feel that that’s what he’s trying to put in his listener’s mind.
Thank you for taking the time to read through! The reason for such a remark is not with the intent to question or challenge the message or the meaning of such, which I believe to be a provocative and necessary one, but rather the motive and situational gain from his abrupt outburst. I feel I perhaps poorly made the distinction between music and figure on this occasion as this was an attempt to highlight my concerns of potential pandering or inauthentic ranting through a desired platform to bolster political desires. As you mentioned, Kanye is gonna be Kanye, and on… Read more »