Robert Frost wrote - his train of thought as divergent as the paths he faced in the midst of some yellow wood - to no one in particular, that he would be selecting a road. Sage advice to some, but not the archetype of immaculate directions to any. The man does even even consider his position. The road seems arbitrarily chosen because it is not traveled. At no point is his final destination ever expressed. Directions are hardly requested. Poetic license aside, it can be said that the leaves trodden black were perhaps left so by weary travelers aware enough 'follow the leader;" the proverbial low-risk high reward scenario. In the end, though, the path Frost chose made all the difference. Healthy skepticism is still rightly in order. This is an era of personal brands. Individual marketing by means of deepweb is not mandatory, but routinely expected. Travel by forest is hardly the content internet users are intrigued by; consistency and relatability are cyberspace's GPS.
DJ MaboOku, for his part bares semblance to this tale of travel. Last heard from two weeks ago, the Casa de Mãe staple was towing his line. MabOoku consistently raises the bar within his genre of choice, kuduro. Rhythmic complexity appears boundless within his songs. And as with any artist, in any genre, the audience become acquainted with elements that make their object of fandom memorable. Stylistic tags become just as familiar as the manner in which songs is organized. Over time eccentricities are accepted; a fondness is developed for these markers of originality. Yet MaboOku works with nearly identical beats and tempos as his contemporaries. The vantage from from where he perches, however, allows him this advantage: with a superior view, the designer can better exploit the landscape and resources available. Where others fall prey to the attraction of modern monument MaboOku slowly builds his own.
That being said, "Lisabone," is undeniably a hip-hop beat. There is hardly a sign - other than the song being attributed to MaboOku - that what follows is a CDM production. The 4/4 beat does not try to furiously start a dance. Rather, from the onset "Lisabone" sports a break even Clyde Stubblefield would approve. Aside from the two-bar synth, the song's head is uneventful at best; bare at worst. Bass does not play a detrimental role CDM's canon, but an attempt is made to assure it's relevance and the room for improvement is evident. As the bass asserts its presence beyond the rhythm section, the song's second portion is introduced by a one-bar melody. In MaboOku fashion the rhythm is slightly altered by means of crash cymbal. Listeners sufficiently recovered from the initial shock are encountered with a loop back to the song's first section, only to realize a second, third, and fourth listen are required to fully gain appreciation. The A-B-A-B structure's symmetry is appreciated but also gives the impression that this is merely a sketch or exercise. Lack of ordinary qualities should never be sufficient to abandon an artist. Certainly worth the listen.
- John Noggle
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