Coming off one of the last decade's most internationally successful U.K. hip-hop projects, Stormzy has become a gateway for North American hip-hop fans looking to expand their taste across the pond. Armed with his enviable versatility, Stormzy's latest project, This Is What I Mean, trades in the thoughtful pop-bangers for a more focused gospel-inspired, soft R&B album that has him sounding more like a vulnerable singer-songwriter than the current reigning king of U.K. hip-hop.
While "Mel Made Me Do It" might have tricked fans into believing Stormzy would ride the wave of Heavy Is the Head and release another commercially focused pop-rap album, This Is What I Mean subverts expectations in all the right ways. Choosing to zone in almost entirely on his gospel influences, the album will sound incredibly familiar to anyone who went to youth church service on Fridays. Stormzy acts more like a Sunday praise and worship leader than an M.C., sparingly spitting a verse to allow the many vocal features and heavy piano production to shine.
Mostly focused on the intertwining worlds of spirituality and mental health, everything on This Is What I Mean is given proper time to breathe, with the front and back end of the album emphasizing its narrative arc. Setting the tone from the get-go, opening track "Fire + Water" is a melancholy and richly-rendered eight-minute R&B/rap tune that transitions into a glimmering gospel record with afrobeat undertones. Stormzy revisits the theme of Christian water baptism as a metaphor for personal growth and change on "Give It to the Water" at the album's end, and while endearing, it's a weak choice given how strong Stormzy's vocal performance is on This Is What I Mean — the rapper chooses to stay off the song almost entirely, allowing writer and collaborator Debbie Ehirim to take the lead. While not offensive in any way — and closing the narrative set at the album's beginning — it's the definition of going out with a whimper and not a bang.
Luckily, the record's still-lovely ending is the lowest point of an otherwise affecting project. Most noticeably, Stormzy's singing has improved dramatically, hitting high notes and melodies assertively. Referencing Friday youth service again, Stormzy's vocal tones are much akin to the vocalists you hear at a small community church, where there's less focus on technical ability and more on clear annunciation, feeling, tempo and staying within your range. As a result, everything on This Is What I Mean feels intentionally filled with heart — more than anything, Stormzy is believable as a singer, and his vulnerability is This Is What I Mean's greatest strength.
Stormzy's progression as a singer has carried over into his rapping, with his annunciation, breath control and pacing also greatly improved. Already an extremely talented lyricist, a quick comparison between This Is What I Mean and Stormzy's earlier work proves how much he's improved as a wordsmith. Perhaps that's why the stand-out tracks on the record are the two most rap-heavy songs; the title track and "My Presidents Are Black" mix the album's recurring gospel sound with some subtle boom-bap, with the production and transitions on "This Is What I Mean" particularly standing out.
Teetering on being too gloomy, Stormzy finds balance on This Is What I Mean and delivers a record with clear intentions and messaging. While it's unlikely to please the entirety of his audience, those who find this record in the pits of depression, lost spirituality, heartbreak or falling in and out of love will undoubtedly be moved. It's a welcome soundtrack, one that contextualizes a range of emotions and finds a quiet light at the end of the darkness.
(Def Jam)While "Mel Made Me Do It" might have tricked fans into believing Stormzy would ride the wave of Heavy Is the Head and release another commercially focused pop-rap album, This Is What I Mean subverts expectations in all the right ways. Choosing to zone in almost entirely on his gospel influences, the album will sound incredibly familiar to anyone who went to youth church service on Fridays. Stormzy acts more like a Sunday praise and worship leader than an M.C., sparingly spitting a verse to allow the many vocal features and heavy piano production to shine.
Mostly focused on the intertwining worlds of spirituality and mental health, everything on This Is What I Mean is given proper time to breathe, with the front and back end of the album emphasizing its narrative arc. Setting the tone from the get-go, opening track "Fire + Water" is a melancholy and richly-rendered eight-minute R&B/rap tune that transitions into a glimmering gospel record with afrobeat undertones. Stormzy revisits the theme of Christian water baptism as a metaphor for personal growth and change on "Give It to the Water" at the album's end, and while endearing, it's a weak choice given how strong Stormzy's vocal performance is on This Is What I Mean — the rapper chooses to stay off the song almost entirely, allowing writer and collaborator Debbie Ehirim to take the lead. While not offensive in any way — and closing the narrative set at the album's beginning — it's the definition of going out with a whimper and not a bang.
Luckily, the record's still-lovely ending is the lowest point of an otherwise affecting project. Most noticeably, Stormzy's singing has improved dramatically, hitting high notes and melodies assertively. Referencing Friday youth service again, Stormzy's vocal tones are much akin to the vocalists you hear at a small community church, where there's less focus on technical ability and more on clear annunciation, feeling, tempo and staying within your range. As a result, everything on This Is What I Mean feels intentionally filled with heart — more than anything, Stormzy is believable as a singer, and his vulnerability is This Is What I Mean's greatest strength.
Stormzy's progression as a singer has carried over into his rapping, with his annunciation, breath control and pacing also greatly improved. Already an extremely talented lyricist, a quick comparison between This Is What I Mean and Stormzy's earlier work proves how much he's improved as a wordsmith. Perhaps that's why the stand-out tracks on the record are the two most rap-heavy songs; the title track and "My Presidents Are Black" mix the album's recurring gospel sound with some subtle boom-bap, with the production and transitions on "This Is What I Mean" particularly standing out.
Teetering on being too gloomy, Stormzy finds balance on This Is What I Mean and delivers a record with clear intentions and messaging. While it's unlikely to please the entirety of his audience, those who find this record in the pits of depression, lost spirituality, heartbreak or falling in and out of love will undoubtedly be moved. It's a welcome soundtrack, one that contextualizes a range of emotions and finds a quiet light at the end of the darkness.