Most internet threads label Joker as dub-step, but that hackneyed term is stretched much too thin these days.
Truth is “The Vision” grips the audial conduit from its inception, maintaining its shredding saw synths and busy atmosphere throughout the first half of the album.
At times the melodies dwell in minimalism, until just enough layers have accumulated to be able to support a soulful vocal melody.
Examples of this technique are “Slaughter House”, “The Vision (Let Me Breathe)” and “On my mind” in which R&B male and female vocals float on the beat with ease. The lyrical content is of no value at this point, but let’s be honest, it’s been decades since the opposite was the case in popular music.
[End cynicism.]
The more straightforward tracks like “Tron” and “My Trance Girl” harness an ominous temper; something you’d bob your sheepish head to after hours of heavy drug consumption in a European velvet plastered club.
Although The VIsion starts off full of promise, it starts to sputter as it comes to a close. Almost as a reminder that he indeed made his beginnings coming out of the Bristol Grime scene, Joker’s “Lost” and “Back in the Days” recall the choppy hip hop genre to a tee. These two numbers, along with the unnecessary “Electric Sea” make you realize that the ruckus and the hefty synths are gone for good.
This effort is not without its gems though. The more adept to electronic music the listener’s ear is, the more enjoyable The Vision will be, but with its lack of focus, it is a primal example of how the superfluous use of modern musical styles can clutter a rising artist’s obvious talent.
Give it a listen.
by Luis Flowers
