Young Fathers - "Cocoa Sugar"

Young Fathers are a Scottish Alternative Rap group that have sort of really had me interested for years.  Their first two mixtapes were pretty entertaining, but with the release of their 2014 debut "Dead" they really got me hooked.  This album was really interesting, being both politically charged and incredibly quirky.  You didn't know if Young Fathers were about to drop some rage-fueled verse or bring in some seriously groovy African rhythms.  Tracks like "War" and "No Way" seriously blew my damn mind.  But it was some of the later, more R&B tinged tunes that still had me weary about Young Fathers.  Which is exactly why I really wasn't that much into their 2015 album "White Men are Black Men Too".  This album showed the trio ditching their Rap and Hip Hop influences in return for some Low-Fi Pop and more Alternative R&B.  Now, tracks like "Nest' and "Rain or Shine" were great experiments that really made me think that Young Fathers were heading down the right path.  But the majority of the rest of this album, made me think otherwise.  So many of these experiments, while interesting and wild in the moment, had little to no lasting power. Now, it's been some time since we've heard from Young Fathers.  And honestly, both of the singles dropped from this album have blown me out of the water, I really dig what I'm hearing ladies and gentlemen.  Let's talk about this new album!

    This album starts off with “See How”, and right off the bat, there’s more Hip-Hop feel in this than the entire last album.  Sure, we still have some more R&B feel in the vocals.  But I do like the booming beat and just how off-kilter everything is.  This one floats along so strangely, and already I’m so much more into this.  This performance is just so haunting between this beat that seems so otherworldly and these chilling vocals.  The backing choir added even more to this already seemingly packed track.  “See How” ladies and gentlemen, is one stunning intro.  Then we have “Fee Fi”, which is almost an old school, golden age of Rap track, especially when it comes to that beat and almost gang-like vocal hook.  I love just how classy the instrumentals, especially the piano.  But I’m not nearly as into this one as the opening. I love the truly freakish verse and just how twisted the lyrics are.  But this one just feels so cramped.  There’s a little too much going on, and if they really slowed things down and took to perfecting some of the elements already here this could have been a knockout.   “In My View” on the other hand, is MUCH more like it.  I thought they’ve always been onto something with these more R&B-tinged vocals.  But here, with these booming beats, chilling atmospheres, and stunning production, this track becomes monstrous.  I love the off-kilter pace to this one and some of the incredibly introspective lyrics.  Now, this is some seriously dark material, and bring a lot of real-life horrors to light, sort of how Algiers did on their album from last year.  There are also some really stunning World Music influences thrown in here as well, which is something I really missed on their last album.  “In My View” isn’t easy to digest at all, and a lot of times you’re just going to feel pummeled by these clashing styles.  But man, is it awesome.  As this album goes on things just get more and more experimental.  To be honest, though, I’m really glad they’re challenging themselves because I really do feel like they’re onto something.  With “Turn”, it becomes more obvious than ever that they’ve really found a great medium between Rap and R&B.  The R&B elements here are beautiful and soaring, but the rap verse in between is cutting and determined.  I love the intensity of “Turn”, which really leads up to one of the funkiest and most interesting beat so far.  Young Fathers continue to bring in more and more World Music and continue to pen current tunes while hopping some VERY cool production.  It’s genuinely some of the most exciting music I’ve heard all year.

    I feel like so many of these tracks instantly grab you.  The opening choir vocals on “Lord” are seriously stunning.  And the way the very hulking beat rolls in slowly after is such a spectacle.  This is one of the more straightforward and easy to take in tracks.  For the most part, it’s just some of Young Fathers more R&B tinged bars, but with some heavier production.  But the simplicity of this with how heavy it is, is actually what makes this such a stunning performance.  I love just how noisy and triumphant this gets towards the end as well.  Then we have “Tremolo” which is just so murky and muddy, and seriously twisted sounding.  The more high pitched vocals on this rap verse are actually seriously eye-opening.  But Young Fathers know just how to keep this just as interesting by putting in some seriously catchy hooks.  It’s beautiful, but it’s also seriously bizarre and intense in parts.  I have to say, I’ve never heard Young Fathers this urgent.  They’re showing up, they’re saying some pretty bombastic stuff, putting in enough pop hooks to keep it sticky, and leaving.  And I respect that.  This isn’t only genre-defying Hip Hop and R&B, but Pop as well.  On the other hand, I have no idea where “Wow” comes from.  There’s almost an industrial vibe to this one, and I love how upbeat and out of control this one comes off.  The howls in the background make “Wow” come off so tortured and twisted.   In a weird way, this almost sounds like some “Return To Cookie Mountain” era TV On The Radio.  While I usually wouldn’t be nearly as into these hazy vocals, in this environment it works wonders.  It’s intense, and easily the most upbeat track here.  It’s also bringing in some more rock elements, which is honestly something I wouldn’t mind hearing more of in the future.  Then we have “Border Girl” which is much beefier and certainly more sluggish.  But Young Fathers have a way of making this interesting with some very anthemic choir vocals.  And once that hooks you, that’s when this fantastic rap verse comes in. This album continues to blend so much between R&B and Pop hooks.  But it’s all thrown together neatly and presented in such a ghoulish way.  It really makes you question what you’re listening to, and I love that.

    This album creeps on with “Holy Ghost”, and this is by far the most Rap oriented tune, and easily the most politically charged track here.  But to be honest, it’s one of the incomplete moments here.  I’m not nearly as into the production here, and the beat is a little sloppy.  But why the hell does this sound like they’re totally just ripping off Kendrick here?  Or like, any other conscious hip-hop performer in 2017?  In an album brimming with genre-defying tracks that can change at any moment, this is way too safe for me. “Wire” however, takes things back in a very hectic and exciting direction quickly.  I love the synthetic beat, the pulsating instrumentals, and the simple yet memorable instrumentals.  “Wire” is easily the most urgent track here, and at only a minute and 40 seconds, it really needs to be.  But hell yes this one rules. Then we have “Toy” which really tones things down a bit, but is easily one of the freakiest tracks yet.  I have to say, Young Fathers are keeping some of their most experimental and intense tracks for last.  “Toy” picks up really quickly and is just as politically charged and aggressive as a lot of the other material we’ve heard here.  There are some great, heartfelt, World-Inspired group vocals.  And once again yes, there’s a very urgent feel.  This is really Young Fathers most complete album yet so far.  This album ends off with “Picking You”, and it’s an ending that really stops me in my tracks, in the worst way.  I honestly feel like this track is just so sluggish and boring.  Young Fathers just seem so off tempo in their performance. And while yes, I do like some of the thick atmosphere as well as the backing vocals, outside of that nothing really grabs me here.  

Rating:  8.6/10

Give A Listen To: “In My View”, “Turn”, “Toy”, “Wow”

Genre: Experimental Hip Hop / Alternative R&B / Alternative Rap / Art Pop / Low-Fi

Overall Thoughts:  In every way with "Cocoa Sugar", Young Fathers have outdone themselves.  For years they've dabbled in Experimental Rap, Alternative R&B, and even Low-Fi Pop.  But here, Young Fathers have combined all of that and more for what may just be their masterpiece.  This album is political, gritty and more often than not very urgent.  In a way, I can almost see fans of Algiers "The Under Side of Power" being into this.  It's a lot to take in, often with all of these different sounds bleeding into each other constantly.  You may very well start off with an Alternative Rap banger only to get slapped with a catchy Pop Hook.  It's exciting just about from start to finish, and really has me ready for whatever Young Fathers want to do next.