Posted on 06/29/2009
Slakah is getting around the Canadian hip hop and R&B scene quite nicely. Working with everyone from Drake to Shad to Divine Brown to Melanie Durant, he’s obviously put work in various styles of production and even drops some great vocals on most of the work he is involved with. Soul Movement Volume 1 is his latest endeavor, and since it made such a splash in Europe in 2008 (selling over 10,000 copies), BBE has taken the Beatchild under their wing to bring the success of the European release to North America. The album itself is hard to put a finger on; similar to the artist. Think Raphael Saadiq, mixed with a little Ali Shaheed, a little ?uestlove, and a little bit of Dilla. But even that’s not doing proper justice to who this artist is or what this project is about. With that said, good music is good music, and SMV1 is full of laid back vibes that will certainly relax the soul.

The album is a kind-of-an-album album. Think Hi-Teknology, but not as concise and conceptual. A few of the songs have come from or made their way onto other projects like Shad’s “Now A Daze” or Drake’s “Share,” but the project is loaded with unique touches that make it a Beatchild album. The most persuasive of all the tracks is “Crate Love (By Your Side),” which features Ray Robinson, Divine Brown, and some of the most beautiful keyboard strokes known to the music world. The song’s subject matter is in the title and it alone could serve as the poster-song for what the Soul Movement is. “Can U See It,” which features the very dope emcee Tona, shows that Slakah can make those buttery smooth beats that even rappers can spit on. The drums hit hard, the soul hits hard, and the overall feel is of this warm summery day. It’s as if Masta Ace’s A Long Hot Summer was reincarnated into an R&B formula fit for singers, hip-hoppers, and jazz musicians alike. It’s beautiful. “Bad Meaning Good” with Drake is another gem that a lot of folks might’ve not caught on to, even though it was on the “Room for Improvement” mixtape a few years ago.

When the compilation works, it works. However, it runs long and still manages to leave more to be desired, especially when songs like “State of the Game” are much shorter than what they should be. The production is thoroughly on point and the use of live instruments and sampling is synergized so masterfully, but it’s barely heard. Even the collage of beats on “Some Beats” are very well done, but only are instrumentals, leaving the imagination to ponder what an artist like Saukrates or K-os could do on it.

It could be seen as a positive or negative, but SMV1 is mood music. It’s for the nights when you head home from clubbing and just want to wind down. It’s for the nights when you want to ride around the city with a loved one under the night light. It’s for the summer days when the windows are rolled down and your mind is clear. It’s for the nights studying at home, putting in long hours and you need that 60 minute relaxation period. Slakah provides plenty of moments and remedies for the listener who can appreciate great, soulful music.

- Sean Deezill