The idea behind the London-based music project SBTRKT, aka Aaron Jerome, was to separate the identity of any artist or artists from the music itself. Similar to artists like Burial, Gorillaz and Daft Punk, Jerome prefers anonymity to the spotlight and lets the music speak for itself. Back in 2011 his first album established him as an artist able to produce a distinct style and sound unique to his name. On his new LP, Wonder Where We Land, the quality of the collaborations and the cohesion between songs is the true source of its excellence.
From Sampha to Jessie Ware to Ezra Koenig to A$AP Ferg, amongst others, Wonder Where We land boasts an eclectic staff of artists. On the surface, they would not appear to mesh well within the same project, but are woven together in a surprisingly beautiful way. The vocals of British singer-songwriter, Sampha, who was featured heavily on the group’s debut, dominates this album and serves as a soulful compliment to the mellow and, at times, melancholy tones that Jerome lies down in the background.
The album’s first single, “Temporary View” highlights his airy voice amongst synth and 808 drums. Further down the track list, “If It Happens” puts his solo talent on display in a short piano ballad with the soaring chorus, “Would I lie to myself, just to be close to somebody else?” The track could give Sam Smith a run for his money. And, just for good measure, SBTRKT adds on “Maybe,” a slow rock jam with sexy synth bass and Sampha’s falsetto that would make a great addition to any baby-making playlist.
Another notable aspect of Wonder Where We Land is the small instances of rap sprinkled throughout the album courtesy of Raury, A$AP Ferg and Boogie. Little-known Atlanta rapper Raury provides a most notable appearance on “Higher.” The rapper is only 18, but his steady machine-gun flow on the track is professional and appropriately matches the urgent Kid Cudi-like beat. Despite his status in the game, Raury raps confidently.
“Say bitch I’m on the move, and all these niggas stuck/ I could live my life alone and I wouldn’t give a fuck/ Ride with me, ride with me, I don’t really give a damn/ Jesus piece above my head, nigga you know who I am.”
Aside from the individual triumphs of each track, their placement within the album is almost equally responsible for the whole work’s attractiveness. There is a dramatic quality to its construction that deserves praise, but it may take several listens for this to become apparent. Whether that feeling is a result of artistic greatness or recklessness is difficult to decipher, but the more I listen to this album the more I like it.
Rating: 4.6/5
