Virgin Records, Audio CD, Rs. 350
Giving the hip-hop genre a whole new dimension is English rapper Tinie Tempah's debut album “Disc-Overy” which boasts chiefly buoyant, dance-orientated production with lyrics related to glamour, fame, youth and love. The album earned Tinie two BRIT Awards last year.
The “Intro” sets the mood and tempo for what follows. One definitely notices that he's done a commendable job for an artiste who doesn't belong to the land where hip-hop originated. Through the album, one also notices his collaboration with other artistes like Kelly Rowland and Ellie Goulding, giving the record a broader, more global appeal.
“Simply Unstoppable” is about slick, amusing rhymes like “All year my house covered in tinsel/I gone pop and I won't stop Pringles.” It is otherwise a typical grime number. Next up is “Pass Out”, which the listener won't pass up. This debut single has an infectious beat and a hard-hitting chorus to supplement its polished verses. “Frisky” feat Labrinth, further ahead on the CD, follows a similar trend.
“Illusion” would shock you because of its unsettling lyrics like “My neighbours keep getting murdered, so we sleep with the alarm on”, and from nowhere Tinie Tempah sings “My mum says I need to put on weight like Kelly Clarkson”. Very random.
“Snap” is not one of the best tracks on this album. It's too sugary for a hip-hop record. Tinie Tempah seems to have experimented with more than just grime as a genre so there's even a piano-driven song for his listeners and you'll find it in “Written in the Stars” feat Eric Turner. One of the most inane tracks on this album is “Miami 2 Ibiza” which has been covered by Swedish House Mafia and Tinie Tempah. It somehow doesn't make much sense music or lyrics wise, or maybe it was meant to be that way!
“Invincible” could have easily not featured Kelly Rowland but going by the appeal Tinie Tempah wanted to create, you cannot blame him for this. The last song on this CD is “Let Go” feat Emeli Sande, which has an R&B tinge to it. It comes across as an introspective offering.
Other tracks on this debut album include “Just a Little” feat Range, “Obsession” and “Wonderman” feat Ellie Goulding. Production wise, the album has a polished and smooth texture. The lyrics are mostly funny. “Disc-Overy” is clearly not an ambitious album but Tinie Tempah's eclectic style deserves some applause. This sure is reason enough to take a listen.
