Thesis Sahib

For his third album, Thesis Sahib presents his most ambitious work to date. Over the 30-plus super-short songs, sole collaborator-producer Nyle (of Howl) stirs together an inspired musical concoction that includes hip-hop, ’80s pop, disco, electro, techno, jungle, rock, punk and funk, hitting every tempo from aggressive to soothing. Thesis uses his natural and altered voice as an instrument within this soup of sounds as often as he uses it as a storytelling device. With each song, Thesis raps, sings and talks his way through a variety of new, often isolated images or ideas, although common themes like family, love and loneliness run throughout; so do certain characters, such as Lobster Boy, reviled by his distant relatives who offer up an olive branch of peace on "Part of the Family,” a sentiment that is later cheapened when "A Different” reveals they’re only doing so because Lobster Boy "struck oil.” Songs and styles change quickly, so those rare instances where a song is less than impressive pass by before there is even a chance to hit the fast-forward button. In other words, Loved Ones is an A.D.D. kid’s wet dream. Don’t sleep.