Unstable Foundations EP – Evanda and Luchii album review

Unstable Foundations EP – Evanda and Luchii

Unstable Foundations is the debut release for rap artist Evanda and first collaboration release for electronic and hip hop producer Luchii. Evanda is an emerging Perth based rap artist who shows definite promise with his shameless and explicit lyric style along with intuitive rhymes that piece together his chilled rap/hip hop tracks. The man behind the beats and samples: Luchii, is a predominantly electronic music producer and part time DJ whose latest solo EP, Neon Paper includes some solid material that would get the parties pumping. The Unstable Foundations EP is part of the lead up to the release of the upcoming album Fairway which is sure to include some killer beats and poetic lyrics.

The opener for the EP; ‘Another Slice of H.A.M.’ is a good introduction to the chilled mood of the featured 6 songs. The track begins with a basic spoken title/intro which welcomes the listener to the EP, I thought this was a nice inclusion before the first main beat of the songs comes in. The backing beat itself played alone is a very laid back chilled groove with some nice rhythmic elements and a great foundation for Evanda as he shoots off some great rhymes over the top. The greatest lyric section in this song I thought would have to be when Evanda raps: ‘One by one like Chinese water torture, Getting heavy in a row all so boring, Appalling, but let it change like a twist inside a story, All this shit lyrics I've tried sorting, All written but ended up not living’. These lines just flow nicely and convey the basic struggles of a beginner rapper, which is an overall theme of the song.

The second song on the mix tape: ‘Deadliest Catch’ begins with a smooth bass line that continues through the whole song and again really sets up that chilled mood that is consistent throughout the album. The inclusion of a string synth in the beat adds a nice underlying melody that adds a slight complexity for the listener.  This beat would have to be one of my favourites form the EP. This may have been unintentional, but the inclusion of assonance technique in the lyrics was something I thought was quite clever. An example of this is in the section where Evanda says: ‘You better strap your vest on, Cause with all these weapons, I don't feel safe knowing that we have zero protection, Make mistakes before you learn your lessons’, with the open O sound being the source. The vocal effect at the end is typical of hip hop/rap tunes and is a sweet finish to this track.

‘Rum Deal’ is a great track about rap in general and the hate that it receives from time to time. I feel that this was a brave topic for Evanda to tackle so early on in his career, but it definitely gets his opinion and angst across to the listener. The included samples by Luchii are perfectly aligned and must have taken great skill to incorporate into the song. This collection of samples is among the best I’ve come across.

‘Gertrude’s Cat’ would have to be my favourite track on the entirety of the EP. Evanda doesn’t cease to amaze me with the vocals of this track and how upbeat they are, with a constant flow of words just oozing from his mouth. He incorporates slight humour in the lyrics and the sample adds great effect in the overall topic. I thought this track lacked a few things that could truly make it a killer song, one being a chorus which seems as though was attempted to be accomplished with the inclusion of the sample. Perhaps a melodic addition to the track sung by a female vocalist would add a tension between the two characters outlined in the lyrics. Having said that, this track shows promise and is one that maybe could be revisited in the future. The end joke implies that the closing beat was too good for this EP and should be saved for the upcoming Fairway album.

The final two additions to the EP: ‘Priest in Peril/Catapilla’ and ‘Recipe for Disaster’ includes some light humour and in turn an appropriate wrap up to the mix tape. I can see why ‘Catapilla’ wasn’t going to be included on the Fairway album but it’s great that Evanda can express these types of lyrics without too much hate early on. ‘Recipe for Disaster’ includes a common theme of Asian pride and how Evanda brings it into his music. The track is a great end to the EP and leaves the listener wanting just that little bit more.

Unstable Foundations is a promising EP and a great start for a young rapper such as Evanda, and an excellent collab by Luchii. Evanda is hoping to perform some of his tracks live in the near future so if you’re into the Aussie hip hop scene make sure you look out for him around Perth.

Download Unstable Foundations FOR FREE from here:

http://evanda.bandcamp.com/

Read the lyrics for the EP here:

http://rapgenius.com/albums/Evanda/Unstable-foundations