Hiding Places (studio album) by Billy Woods & Kenny Segal

From thirstyDog 11/13/2019 19:20

I don't wanna go see Nas with an orchestra at Carnegie Hall.

On 'Hiding Places', beats flow at a treacle pace at odds with everything else in hip hop in 2019. As the refrain of opening track 'Spongebob' alludes, the whole recording is being conducted under water, as over beds of murky, filtered guitars and sparse drums, Woods rhyme about struggling to maintain a foothold on life. His words conjure settings of desperation and squalor; we hear a recording of an automated message detailing a bank balance of $10, there's a tongue in cheek line about how Woods' family can no longer afford for him to be the lone bread earner. The downtempo beats allow Woods to really drag out each syllable bringing real clarity to each word, aided again by the sparse beats which at some points are so bare it's almost acapella.

As pointed out elsewhere; there does appear some sort of spiritual kinship with Earl Sweatshirt's 'Some Rap Songs' in the sense that both albums have this lonely, beat-up, deflated atmosphere where the protagonist is all defensive one-liners and anxious self-deprication.

The album's success at remaining engaging within the confines of it's abrasive, challenging production style is testament to Woods' abilities as a storyteller which, even in an environment as dark as this, point towards a light at the end of the tunnel.

From LebowskiRams 05/11/2019 04:00

Really passionate rapping

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Last year, Billy Woods released with Elucid, Armand Hammer's 4th album: "Paraffin". This album was a hip-hop masterpiece, which was arguably one of the best rap albums of 2018. This year Billy Woods is back with a new solo album: "Hiding Places". On this album, Woods partners with producer Kenny Segal of Los Angeles. The horrifying synths and heavy rhythms of Segal create a perfect background for Woods' angry flow. The main subject of the album is lack of money and capitalism. Billy Woods can really be considered a legend of underground rap. His discography is a collection of extraordinary albums about dehumanization, money, society ... Woods is really one of my favorite rappers of the decade and even of all time.

8/10

Best track: "Houthi"