Elegant Slums” is the debut album of the Texan rapper Big Dream, anticipated by the release of two singles extracted from it, “Big Dreams” and “Self Made“. These two songs are an exceptional business card and introduction for this emerging artist, perfectly fitting for his moniker.
After years of introspection, Big Dream seems to have found his home in music, showing a voice full of feeling, and a free narrative flow inspired by his life experiences. “Elegant Slums” is a release with a refined and sophisticated sound aesthetic, free from needless frills and extravagances, and also capable of standing out by how it distances itself from the more canonical stylistic cliches that crowd the contemporary hip-hop scene.
As a rapper, this talented performer was influenced by icons such as Jay Z, Rick Ross, Wale and Torae. However, the sound and atmosphere of his music have a strong, unique personality and his vocal delivery has a specific charisma that’s easy to connect to.
As a studio and production enthusiasts, we always like to talk about music from this point of view, and “Elegant Slums” is also excellent in this regard. The scope of the production allows Big Dream to showcase the fullness of his penetrating and coherent artistic vision. It stands out for the way the cyclical beats, retro and low-fi sounds, and harmonies blend, tastefully and with balance, with the rap stream through which Big Dream channels the autobiographical approach that marks this whole album.
From the intro track “Elegant Slums” to the vibrancy of “Fear” up to the evocative atmosphere of “Flight 2221“, throughout this album Big Dream takes us on a trip through wide-ranging atmospheres and soundscapes, with autobiography as both the backbone of the songs and the source of their inspiration.
The masterful mix, with its clever arrangements and mastering, underlines, enhances and integrates Big Dream‘s performance, which is exquisitely genuine and spontaneous. There’s a combination of passion, focus, vision, and technical competence, at play in this album, and every detail works in synergy with the others to raise the value of the themes that inspire the songs and their musical delivery.
To find out more details about this album, its themes and its atmospheres, there is no better way than listening to “Elegant Slums“, already available on Spotify [ here ] and Youtube [ here ]. To get in touch with Big Dream, follow him on Instagram [ here ].
