Anticipation
is a muhfucka. In the time of instant
gratification and surprise late night album releases, people will clamor even
more for the latest project from their favorite especially if it’s been
awhile. So while Noname (formerly Noname Gypsy) set a release date for her debut Telefone, expectations were at an all-time
high. She made her bones with a stellar
guest verse on fellow YOUMedia alum Chance
The Rapper’s Lost on his 2013 breakthrough
mixtape Acid Rap. Soon after, the Chicago wordsmith was
dropping loosies left and right while coyly hinting towards her first project. She was elusive for three years, adding and
deleting new songs from SoundCloud while not setting a release date. So when the big day came on July 31st,
it had been a long time coming.
I
was pleasantly surprised to see that all but two of the songs were brand new
and even those two had been released this year.
The tone is set from rip on Yesterday. She introduces herself with her trademark
existentialism over Common-like electric keys.
I’ve been hard on theMIND
previously but he really impressed me with his contribute on Sunny Duet, which is a cheerful love
song that replicates the butterflies you get when you’re around that special
someone. Diddy Bop is Noname’s tale of growing up that’s rife with synths
and chimes straight out of an after school special. Raury
and Cam O’bi contribute a hook &
a verse respectively to a song that’s as hazy as VHS tracking.
All I Need came out in January, a
time before Noname and Xavier Omär
(formerly SPZRKT) changed their stage names.
It’s still crisp and fits in the tracklist tonally with its description
of love’s wish list. On Reality Check, we get some background as
to Noname’s thought process and trepidation relating to her career. It’s refreshing how she reveals her
vulnerabilities & hope. Eryn Allen Kane & Kenya bring it all together with an
inspirational chorus and outro vocals.
The first song she released post name change was Freedom Interlude, another well placed song in Telefone’s DNA. It’s two verses plus a clip from a Nina Simone interview about freedom,
apropos to the song because Noname uses an unorthodox song structure.
Gun
violence is the topic of the short yet potent Casket Pretty. While I
initially interpreted it as a reference to the dangers of Chi-Town, it could
also be about police killings. Either
way, it’s moving in its sorrow on the loss of Black lives. You’ll get early 2000’s vibes on Forever, which is thankfully
effervescent. Ravyn Lenae steals the show with an airy & lovely hook & Joseph Chilliams impressed me with his
guest appearance. Noname’s genius is
displayed on Bye Bye Baby as she
makes the heavy subject of abortion seem less daunting with sentimental albeit
soothing vibes with music and lyrics.
The same feat is achieved on Shadow
Man as she, Saba, Smino, & Phoelix paint a picture of their funerals without being overly
morbid or drab.
The
wait was excruciating, especially because in her baker’s dozen of songs before,
she had never dropped a wack song. It’s
great to see her progress as an artist, as she sounds less like a poet (which
is how she got started) and more as a rapper.
Noname sounds more comfortable in her bars and flow. The only real issue comes in the production,
which is excellently done, but at times is on too even of a keel. While the aforementioned 13 released songs
before had a medley of horns, violins, guitars, samples, dirty drums, fun
basslines, and other sounds, mostly everything on Telefone is beholden to the
electric organ and synths. Again there
isn’t a bad song or instrumental on here, but the overall tone doesn’t move
much. This does make for some good
however, as nothing feels out of place.
Noname is like the offspring of
a sensitive writer type and a manic pixie dream girl, to use film tropes. She’s sincerely soulful yet never loses her
childlike sense of wonder about the world, even in the gloomiest of subject
matter. In trying to compare her to
anyone else, I couldn’t, because her style is so unique. She does seem to embody the soul of the Windy
City the same way as the living legend Common. At the same time, her exceptional talents fit
in well with Chicago’s rap bohemians (think the brothers Bennett, Mick Jenkins,
Vic Mensa, Jamila Woods, Saba, amongst others.)
Keeping in mind that it’s her true debut, Telefone is a great conversation piece for the rest of the
world. Let’s just hope doesn’t wait
another three years to give us a call.
Rating: 4.0 out of 5.
Stream and download Telefone for free via SoundCloud here.
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