I’ve always had a love-hate relationship with albums from prominent UK rappers. To me, they’ve always been a collection of songs, a mixtape posing as an album. An album should be more than just that, it should tell a story, be a reflection of someone’s feelings, giving the listener a snapshot of the artist’s current position in life. In the past, I’ve felt UK albums have been less ambitious than their American counterparts, generally speaking of course. However, there’s always been an artist that’s stood out slightly more than the rest. Ever since his Blackbox appearance, Santan Dave has given me the impression that he thinks about the bigger picture of his music than just the music itself.
With all this being said, I came across the announcement of his album, titled Psychodrama – being a form of psychotherapy in which patients act out events from their past. The title itself intrigued me. Is this going to be the ambitious concept album that I’ve been waiting for from a UK artist? I was initially wary of the fact that even Dave could release an album full of Funky Friday’s. Club songs. Songs that we’ve seen time and time again from his contemporaries. Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with that. I just think there’s something much more long-lasting about a concept album that isn’t littered with songs chasing a number one hit.
The opening song – Psycho – calmed all my worries and filled me with anticipation. A therapist opens the album, mentioning that it’s his first session with David. Dave’s first line sets the tone for the rest of the album: How do you stop all the pain? This is a young man looking for answers. He questions his insecurities. The production is dramatic, with flickers of a piano in the distant background. Dave’s voice is forceful, and is lyrically unmatched by anything I’ve heard. The theme of pain continues – I shed so many tears on my pillow. Dave is part of a demographic where you won’t hear lines like this being spoken in general discussion. It just isn’t something you say. You aren’t meant to feel pain. And if you do, it’s dealt with in silence. Instead, Dave shouts it from beginning to end in this opener. An infectious beat/flow switch in the middle grabbed my attention and carried it through to the end of the song. A faultless opening if there ever was one. The song concludes with a spoken word piano ballad, while I’m in disbelief that it’s still only track one.
The piano based production continues throughout the album. That isn’t a complaint by any means. It’s extremely difficult to base an album’s production around one very specific sound, but the melodies presented here are diverse and gives each song individuality. Consistent, yet unique, it was brilliantly done. Streatham, another song based primarily in the past, talking about his hometown. It’s full of quotables, and lines you expect to be tweeted and retweeted hundreds of times over in the coming months following the release of the album.
Black is arguably the most ‘in your face’ song on the album. Beginning with the line black is beautiful, black is excellent. I can’t remember the last time I heard a song that made me so quickly pay attention to what the artist was saying. The pianos continue to play in the background, perfectly in tandem with the instrumental as a whole. Nothing said here is extremely poetic, and wrapped in complex metaphors or double entendres as you’d find with a Kendrick Lamar for example. The impact is just the same though, line after line, Dave’s thought-provoking lyrics are as purposeful as ever.
Location and Disaster are the most radio-friendly cuts off the album. The topic of conversation remains consistent, with a line rarely wasted by Dave. J Hus’ performance on Disaster matches the tone of the album perfectly and arguably outshines Dave here. Making a song that’s catchy, pleasingly melodic, lyrically meaningful with high-quality production is ridiculously difficult to achieve, yet Dave and co. do it seemingly effortlessly.
Lesley – the longest song on the album, running for a total of eleven minutes, further proves that Dave wasn’t looking to break streaming records or inflate sales by employing shorter songs. This could very easily have been split into three songs spread across the album but he chose not to, and I’m very glad he didn’t. It’s difficult to describe the song without detailing the story behind it. It’s personal, heart-wrenching, and most importantly, it feels real. Dave’s emotions are on full display in his performance, sounding suitably disheartened over the melancholic piano.
The album concludes with ‘part two’ of the opener – Drama. It begins with a recording of Dave’s older brother, currently in prison, discussing how proud he is of his younger brother. The parallels are apparent, Dave receiving therapy on the outside, while his brother is receiving it on the inside. We all need help, no matter your circumstances. Pain is universal. Dave mentions losing his father, and then his brother when he needed him most. The picture painted here, and throughout the album, is one of a broken man that’s going through a journey of accepting the realities of the world. Dave is obsessed with understanding, whether it’s how to feel of his brother’s incarceration, or the murders happening on the daily. I thank God for the pain because it made me this. The last words Dave speaks on the album. He’s reached the understanding that he was looking for.
The ambition displayed on this album is one that only someone who believes in their talents can manufacture. While not all songs hit as intended (see Voices), the vast majority of the album is a beautiful display of a young black man living in London, trying to understand the complex life he lives. His journey is clear. He brings the listener along with him on his psychodrama, and never leaves out any of the details. Dave has created an album that will be listened to for years to come. It’s an admirable story, and one that has been told in the best way possible.
ABOUT THE RECORD:
Release date: March 8, 2019
Label: Neighbourhood Recordings
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