Probably the biggest surprise for music in 2014 is the sky-drop release of Azealia Banks’ debut ‘Broke With Expensive Taste’, just months after all hope was lost that the album would see the light of day.
After breaking the titanium shackles that her former label had tied her down with, AZ was quick to set her career back in motion. With the release of the ferocious firecracker, ‘Heavy Metal & Reflective’ (practically moments after gaining freedom), it was clear that the Harlem rhymestress had regained the resolve that made her such a magnetic artist in 2012, when she unleashed the opulent hip-house EP ‘1991’ and the experimental hors d’oeuvres mixtape ‘Fantasea’.
The 16-track ‘Broke With Expensive Taste’ is every bit as provocative and direct as Azealia’s monumental personality, and it’s clear that the outspoken performer has made use of every muscle into crafting this madcap tale. Beginning with the experimental glitch-hop of ‘Idle Delilah’. The beat is a raving fusion of tropical rhythms that sit somewhere between Bhangra and jungle (The latter complimented by samples of screeching monkeys) and Azealia’s two vocal personalities; the silky songstress and the tongue-twisting and riddling rapper.
‘Gimme A Chance’ is a surprising highlight. Almost every feature is unapologetically 80’s (Only in the best way possible, of course!), from the samples of DJ scratches to the deliciously disco-brass section. The best part is located in the closing minute, where Azealia unleashes her inner-latina seductress and delivers a verse in perfectly-executed Spanish. Absolutamente perfecto, Ms. Banks!
Banks provides a welcome nod to the UK’s back catalogue of underground genres in ‘Desperado’. Slick influences of UK Garage cascade around the framework of ‘Desperado’ while moments of compellingly disarming phantoms appear providing off kilter horns throughout the track. Banks also reminds us of what a unique rapper she is as she makes heavy use of her signature acrobatic, rapid-fire verbal flow.
Smooth in texture, suave in nature; ‘JFK’ heads into a more mystifying area with it’s sleek and triply vibe. The Burial-esque cut carries a beguiling extra-terrestrial aura that Azealia clearly has a sweet tooth for and finds a perfect partner in guest rapper Theophilus London to ride the wonky wavelength.
Three years ago, we became hypnotised by Banks’ immoveable flow and club beats when she unleashed ‘212’; one of the most audacious debut singles to ever happen. To this day, it’s hard to dislike the track; Lazy Jay’s production provides an heavily enjoyable beat that struts with a brazen swagger throughout the track, whilst a wild-electro melody wobbles around the hook as well as accompanying Banks’ jarring yelling later in the track. Despite the tracks playful side, there is also evidence of Banks being quite the intelligent lyricist as she throws bars that discuss serious topics such as gender dynamics and sexual identity.
Twitching tribal drums make a way for ‘Wallace’, a track about a “man with a dog’s head”. Accompanying Banks on the hook is a moody and mesmerising xylophone melody. In true Azealia Banks form, she wears her alluring chanteuse vocals like a mask before tearing it away to reveal the charismatic bars-a-plenty beast that lurks beneath the surface.
If the album was split into sections that representing the seasons of the year, ‘Heavy Metal & Reflective’ would flag the beginning of a cruel Siberian winter. Futuristic and bloodthirsty, this experimental and industrial clanger was what reignited the inferno that is Banks’ fan base. Her impeccable flow hits with a bullseye precision and a psychotic grin when matched with the tracks motor-electro bass wobbles.
Next in the snow-storm is another that long-time fans are familiar with; the Trap-influenced ‘BBD’. Here, the hip hop chameleon brandishes her confident and razor-sharp Harlem-strut with unexpected class over the beat’s paper-thin snares and prowling bass.
Following ‘BBD’s icy sting comes the blizzard with ‘Ice Princess’. Sampling Morgan Page’s 2011 track ‘In The Air’ (A powerhouse anthem that induces chills from the first bell chime). Collaborator AraabMuzik lends a hand in turning the track on it’s head and transform it into a menacing slice of snarling Trap-Hop, while Azealia brings some of her most cohesive songwriting to date.
And then the whiteout; ‘Yung Rapunxel’. Here we find AZ at her deadliest on this venomous Hip-House banger. Her trademark low-register spitfire raps bare their teeth as a body of murderous Prodigy-style beats and chaotic Crystal Castles-esque screams rampage through the anarchic track.
Thawing the brutal frost is the bittersweet ‘Soda’; an ode to self-medication. Juxtaposing the SCNTST-produced instrumentation comes Azealia trying to overcome depression through waves of fake smiles and constantly getting high to delay her pain.
Current single, ‘Chasing Time’ represents Banks having a go at being “Radio friendly”, as she mentioned during her most recent tour. Full of stabbing and tripping keys, ‘Chasing Time’ lives and breathes the House-music scene that thrived in the 90’s. Like ‘Soda’ before, we hear our performer singing for the majority of the song (as opposed to rapping) and it’s a welcome reminder of what a strong vocalist she is.
‘Luxury’ is the last of the tracks that fans would already be familiar with. Originally featured on the critically acclaimed mixtape ‘Fantasea’, the Trance-influenced ‘Luxury’ quickly became a fan favourite, and even received visual treatment for it’s adoring fans.
On an album that’s full of magic hat tricks, the most surprising of surprises comes with the name ‘Nude Beach A-Go-Go’. Azealia has a good friend in psychedlic-rocker Ariel Pink and has often hinted at a collaboration appearing on the album, but I don’t think a single fan saw this kitschy oddball coming. Drenched in 60’s Californian sun and sand, ‘Nude Beach A-Go-Go’ recalls the songs that you would hear on older episodes of Scooby Doo, when the gang would stumble into a beach party during those iconic chase scenes.
Azealia closes the album with the tales of two ladies; ‘Miss Amor’ and ‘Miss Camaraderie’. The former contains unsettling dollhouse percussion and almost feels like a megamix of some of her great and greatest tracks. Meanwhile, on the latter, Banks performs a curveball by sampling the lyrics of ‘Luxury’. An unusual move considering only two tracks stand between ‘Miss Amor’ and ‘Luxury’ but it shows how well Azealia can adapt in her House-heavy world.
It’s taken a lot witchcraft for Azealia Banks to reach this point; a lot of spells and potions to break free and deliver her premiere opus and she arrived just in time. 2013 was a very dynamic year for music and sadly, 2014 was struggling to match it’s quality. Luckily, the stylishly confident ‘Broke With Expensive Taste’ swooped in to create some much needed chaos and could be poised for the position of ‘Album of the year’.
‘Broke With Expensive Taste’ is available for download now on iTunes .
Watch the lyric video for ‘Chasing Time’ below