Reviewed by: Isaac Biehl
Goldlink – And After That, We Didn’t Talk – Review
Rating: 8/10
Goldlink’s debut LP, And After That, We Didn’t Talk dropped November 6th and runs for 11 tracks. The D.C. rapper already had some buzz built around him from being on the 2015 XXL Freshman Cover and the album doesn’t disappoint. Stemming from a breakup Goldlink went through when he was 16, And After That, We Didn’t Talk is a fresh take on hip-hop in 2015 as it incorporates many elements of dance music and R&B.
The lead single off the album was “Spectrum” at number four, and this is a good place to start if you want to get a good taste of Goldlink. Sampling Missy Elliott’s “She’s a Bitch” the bass jumps right out at you. Rapping with a flurry of words at high speed, Goldlink still sounds smooth as ever, a skill not all rappers possess in the game today.
The album is filled with various beats and styles, and Goldlink has the ability to slow things down. On “See I Miss” hi-hats fill the background with a soft touch of bass that allows Goldlink to break it down for the listener. Anderson Paak offers his talents to “Unique,” a track that you can’t help but groove to. By the time it gets to Paak’s verse you’re already immersed into the beat. A real standout on the album comes at number ten with “New Black.” This track has a total boom-bap-rap feel to it and really gets your head bobbing. It sounds as if it came straight from the golden era.
On this project Goldlink has combined dance music and hip-hop, helping reaffirm that dance rap is making a comeback. Producer Rick Rubin has acknowledged and praised Goldlink’s efforts in doing this. And After That, We Didn’t Talk is filled with wonderful production and has a unique sound that makes it one of the best rap albums of 2015.
FCC Violations: All except #6
Favorite Tracks: 10 (New Black), 11(See I Miss), 7(Unique), 3(Dark Skin Women)
RIYL: Anderson Paak, Mick Jenkins, Theophilus London, Towkio
