Two-time Grammy winner and arguably North Carolina’s hottest wordsmith J. Cole has returned with another post on his newly launched blog The Algorithm. And this time, it is with facile floating that he delivers his latest single “cLOUDs,” quickening the flames of The Fall Off and building on the reflective work of “Port Antonio”. With atmospheric yet simplistic production, the Dreamville stalwart’s latest offering does nothing but reinforce the strength of his inimitable reputation with the pen.
Verging on four minutes, “cLOUDs” is a hip-hop song with lo-fi influences and jazzy tinctures, the languid arrangement and lax tempo texturing the track with a sonic experience that shirks the norms of trad boom-bap. However, there are still elements of 2017 Jermaine engrained in the sound; if anything the single is quite reminiscent of his work with the Bvtman-produced “Procrastination (Broke)” two years back. Produced by DZL, Omen, and himself, the song’s rhythmic skeleton retains Cole’s affinity for a canvas that is dream-like by default, the type of parchment that enables him to flex his linguistic chops without having to best the producer first – even when the competition includes him on the sound desk.
J. Cole | SUPPLIED
The Fayetteville rapper lays his mental cards on the table on the surprise release, wrestling with themes of the ever-changing state of the world, ageing as a man and as an artist, as well as contemplations concerning the technology-reliant future. Ruminative, dynamic, and brutally honest, hip-hop’s self-proclaimed Middle Child hardly compromises, delivering an ear-hooking performance that blends poetic introspection, flow switches, and poly-syllabic rhyme schemes. Cole exhibits the same kind of hunger of his early-career exploits as well as the run of lyrical form from the past several years.
Elements that make “cLOUDs” pop despite its relatively self-effacing production is the seamless melding of technical skill and mental propositions Jermaine tables on the song. Most rappers, particularly those who are mighty within the lyricism realm, lose intelligibility in search of bars. Cole, on the other hand, has mastered the subtle artform of fusing the two without any of the attributes losing potency and efficacy. The “Work Out” hitmaker doesn’t just spout words; he offers rather interesting words of wisdom and a mature worldview which is becoming for a man who touched his fortieth year under the sun just a month ago.
Listen to “cLOUDs” on The Algorithm: Here
