Hello, I’m MusiCommentator, and for my 32nd edition of Song Of The Week, I will be discussing “Slow Down Turbo” by Rich Brian.
Anyone who has read this blog for any amount of time will know that I am something of an 88rising fanboy. I went to one of their concerts in 2018, I made a post talking about some of my favorite songs from the label, and THREE out of the eleven albums mentioned on my Top 10 BEST Albums Of 2018 list were made by artists from the 88rising label (one of these actually being Rich Brian’s debut album “Amen). So needless to say, when Rich Brian’s new album “The Sailor” came out, I was listening to it on its day of release, and I have to say, it will definitely end up on my “best albums of 2019” list, no question about it. There are so many great tracks I could talk about from it. I could discuss the intimate grandiosity of “Yellow”, or the clever wordplay on “Kids”, or even the instant summery vibes from “100 Degrees”, but I decided today to talk about “Slow Down Turbo”.
This track is truly a roller coaster experience. It has enough beat switches to put “SICKO MODE” to shame! It starts with an ambient, few-second sample, then jumps into some happy piano chords and pitch shifted vocals that set a happy tone for the song. This mood is kept up when the song transitions into Rich Brian’s first rap verse (over a different happy beat). This is cut off by a harmonized vocal snippet that sounds like it would have fit perfectly in Kendrick Lamar’s “DAMN.”. This, then, turns into a darker, more menacing, synth-driven beat that Rich Brian does some chop-rapping to, with his vocals panning from left to right. This beat gradually speeds up, which morphs into a NEW beat that Rich Brian lays another verse over. This is eventually cut off for a mellow, smooth outro. From what I just described, this track sounds like a big mess, but it actually all works. The different sections flow so well together that it is sometimes hard to distinguish when another beat pops up. On top of all this, Rich Brian performs exceptionally well. His flows are very refined compared to his last album and he comes through with clever lyrics that are relevant to the album. This track is quite a ride, so I really suggest you check it out. No…actually, you should check out his entire “The Sailor” album. Trust me, you won’t regret it!
Thank you for reading my 32nd “Song Of The Week”! If you liked this post, make sure to follow my website, Twitter, and Instagram, like this post, and be sure to check in soon for future content. Also, if you have something you want to see me review, tell me in the comments. Until then, keep on listening to good music! I know I will.
MusiCommentator 