#willpower

#willpower, eh? Err…

The album title reveals will.i.am to be the voluminous innovator that he is: the hashtag, used nonchalantly on Twitter, would create the perfect social networking sphere to boost his promotion and his social media presence.  But surely an idea so modern and hi-tech would be equally radiated in his work?

In fact, the album is stunningly disparate.  Some tracks, like the Italian-Spanish operetta inspired ‘Smile Mona Lisa’ encapsulate a feeling of insouciance and villagery, yet others, like the album’s lead single ‘Scream & Shout’, are stunted and vile.  Will has, however, incorporated a plethora of collaborations, including radical feminist Chris Brown,  and ex-Britmaniac Justin Bieber.  The efforts of these astonishing individuals chosen by will.i.am mirror the similar capacity of featured artists on other rappers’ albums, such as Nelly, Flo Rida, Pitbull, Timbaland, Lil Wayne and Wale, just to name a few.

Above the interesting production choices and selections of instruments and synths, will.i.am brings about yet another addition to his heavy curriculum vitae: lyricist.  Not only is the power of words so effortlessly used on this musical masterpiece of an album, he also captures this generation’s use of phrases.  For instance: “whatever doesn’t kill you, only makes you stronger”, and “Gucci Gucci Gucci”.  His avant-garde lyricism also brings about a sea of similes and metaphors so original that it’s absurd that this album isn’t given away to every primary school pupil in the country (for excellent examples of this, see ‘Fall Down’.)

There is no denying that we don’t miss the uniquely constructed organic hip-hop-funk of The Black Eyed Peas before will.i.am traded it for factory-fresh vats of electropop tunes and autotuned “aah”s and sighs (which are so engrossing, it’s no wonder NASA were so eager to project a song of his from Mars).  #willpower is hardly the album of the hour, but it’s certainly a contender for album of the year.  will.i.am’s sonic structures are heavy on the senses and light on the brain, yet they also exude a feeling which isn’t far from mindless bliss and choreographed thrill.

Similar To: Timbaland, Labrinth

MP3: ‘Smile Mona Lisa’, ‘Bang Bang’