Apr 4, 2017

Review: @Goldlink's #AtWhatCost - Written by @Jephtoda

This album is arguably the best hidden gem in DC. DMV spitter Goldlink shines in his third studio project aptly titled At What Cost. Throughout the project, this 2015 XXL Freshman takes listeners through a very unique journey. 

Throughout the project Goldlink engages the listeners with very uptempo beats that keeps them bobbing their heads and on the dance floor. It's that signature Future Bounce style he created with frequent collaborator, Louie Lastic. Link allows his voice to be his strongest instrument captivating the audiences with its uniqueness. Unlike most artists this voice does not have a strong autotune presence which allows him to standout even more. The mixture of house music, go go, and the clear 90s hip hop and R&B influence gel well together and leaves nothing but good vibes for its audience. Even in darker songs such as We Will Never Die featuring Lil' Dude you can't help but sing along with the catchy hook and move along to the snares and 808s. 




The DC native never forgets his humble beginnings and makes several mentions of his hometown in songs such as Roll Call featuring Mya and Crew with Brent Faiyaz & Shy GlizzyHe also links with fellow DC native Wale for the smooth tune Summatime, which leaves you yearning for those summer nights where you enjoy a cool breeze and take a smoke on your porch. I'd love to see a video for this track. Although the rapping duo both hail from the nation's capital this song has such a west coast feel. 


"Yeah, she call me her hubby, she love me but she in California
Want to be the talk of the town, well move to California"

Although it may seem at first glance that only surface level subjects such as girls and hanging with the homies are Goldink's focus nothing is further from the truth. Throughout the whole project Goldlink picks and chooses when and where to open up personally to his fans. He shows his more vulnerable side when sharing about his mother's stroke in track 2 as well as admitting to the guilt he feels for being successful in the final song. Overall it is a standout project and definitely a much needed change of pace in a music scene that heavily revolves around trap music and quite frankly all sounds the same. One time for "the n*gga with the sick ass mouth and the slick ass flow." In my first review I give Goldlink's At What Cost a 3.7 of 5 stars.
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Multimedia Journalist, Founder and Chief Editor of WTM Host of A-Side B-Side Podcast and more. I like to talk about stuff and write it down. Sometimes to a microphone. Either way, I need you to feel this.

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