Tech N9ne: Something Else Review

Something else, is just that.  It is something else.  I may have my finger on the pulse of a very large following of tech and strange music fans, however it seemed that many where disappointed that this project was a huge feature album with many main stream artists.  Well my personal opinion is this project shows that tech is not only something else but almost immortal – the change of inflection and sound of his voice on some of these tracks is a refreshing difference from his previous work and not just another project of tracks.  With the rate that Tech has been cranking out music, this is not that same stuff you are used to hearing. Strange and Tech always bring something hot to the table and this is not different in that aspect, but enough different to snag my attention.  Not only is tech something else, the music is something else.  Do not listen to your would be friends on facebook and twitter who have a very different taste then you do, give it a listen and I guarantee there will be multiple tracks that you add into your playlists.  -Hazin

Deluxe version of Something Else is as follows:

  • “News With Mark Alford 1″ (skit)   –  A news report of a meteor hitting KC area, pretty simple intro that grabs your attention.

FIRE

  • “Straight Out The Gate” (featuring Serj Tankian, Krizz Kaliko)  – Straight out the gate is exactly what it is, coming right out of the gate this album shows you what its all about, Serj’s voice on this is classic Serj, and although I wish  he would of had a verse of his fast hard hitting vocals, his slow hook fit perfectly with Tech’s verses.  This is one track that has a video out already and the video is amazing, Serj’s Blue jacket is epic, Tech’s American Flag themed robes are crazy, the class room enviroment with kids glued to thier cell phones, and the screen having all kinds of references from Snowden, Paula Dean, the Boston Marathon Bombing, as well as twitter lines. Keeps your eyes busy giving you additional visuals to go with this track that will definitely be on a good number of my playlists.   Music, Beat, Lyrically, Tech, Serj, Krizz, the video –  Straight out the gate is a bomb ass epic track!

  • “B.I.T.C.H.” (featuring T-Pain) – Maybe I am just not a T-Pain fan, I did like him on “I’m on a Boat” but this track was just a little to much T-Pain repetitive for me.  Track starts out great, love the audio and the twist of Tech’s voice, the piano and flow of the track through the verses are also fire. Lyrically love the concept, and unless you listen you’ll get the wrong impression.  One run of the T-Pain section would of been good, Two would of been ok, but it’s  hard for me not to just skip to next track when it comes up to wrap out the track.
  • “With The BS” (featuring Red Café, Trae Tha Truth & Big Scoob) – Another track with a Something else feel right off the start even with the crowd cheer in the middle of the build up.  This is a classic hard beating track you expect to hear on a Tech project, I enjoy the back instrumental in the track, features where good sounding additions to the track.  The song has a lot of meaning behind it that will relate to anyone who’s had to deal “With The BS”
  • “Love 2 Dislike Me” (featuring Tyler Lyon of Evalyn Awake & Liz Suwandi) – Slow female intro, I get into all kinds of music that would surprise many I am sure, however was not a fan of the intro all that much, the music kicks in hard and fast at just the right moment.  Fast past hard hitting verse, that drops into a slow vocal with the same hard hitting music.  The track continues with the great music track, hard hitting beats with a metal sounding instrumental that I liked very much.  The slower paced feature vocals almost killed this track for me. Chaotic track for a chaotic topic though.

tech

  • “Fortune Force Field” – No Features and a very mellow paced intro of tech that slowly builds and descends – great changes and very hard hitting beats to a mellow instrumental that goes perfect with techs flows on this one.  I am not usually a fan of tracks that lyrically have to do with money as I don’t and many others don’t relate to being rich or the “problems” involved with being rich. However really liked this track as it really twists more into having dreams and reaching for them.  This is one I will listen to often, going to be a classic Tech track I think.
  • “I’m Not A Saint” – Religious leaning track, and the “ohhohhohh” through out the track drove me nuts.  Was able to tune it out and loved the beat on this one, darker track on a project that seemed more angel heart then it did evil brain.  Dealing with ones inner demons and trying to balance yourself is a struggle on the daily, and this track high lights that.  Extremely relatable for me.  This would probably be one of my favorite tracks minus that one sample – remix??
  • “Fragile” (featuring Kendrick Lamar, ¡Mayday!, & Kendall Morgan) – A track kinda about people who do reviews, etc… ohhh dwamn.   One of my favorite tech n9ne tracks ever, all features killed it on this one. Tech lets his feelings fly about his shit, and its good to know there are artists out there who still give a fuck about what people think.  Now I am far from mainstream media, and not even remotely a decent writer – id like to think my pictures turn out good and I am sensitive about that shit, so even though here I am picking apart the tracks on this project and review his tours, this is very relatable, and should be to most people.  I Have listened to the whole album a good 4 times now with the exception of this track, Priorities, and Straight out the gate which got probably double digit listens in as they are in multiple play lists of mine now.  Ohh and I don’t hope for your demise.
  • “Priorities” (featuring The Game & Angel Davanport) – This track is extremely visual – would love to see a video of this one maybe – then again that might ruin it.  With little other then vocals and some sound effects to enhance the mental visual.  Closing my eyes I can see The Game and Tech running.  Angel was a bit of stretch for me on this one, but easily one of the top 3 tracks on the project. Drop this in, with nothing else going on and let your mind run as this fills your ears.  Ill be bold – this track is FUCKING REVOLUTIONARY!
  • “News With Mark Alford 2″ (skit) – Second Skit on the project that just builds on the first one, not just filler or garbage like a lot of skits that are out on projects now a days.

WATER

  • “Dwamn” – As Tech said on the strange music sampler – shocking a “Dwamn” Track has not been done before.  I love the funkiness of the instrumental on this one, and beats hit solid and take a break during some of the flows allowing you to hear whats being said.  Break down of the word, and who don’t enjoy a track laced with sex.  Easily a track for the car, working out, or just your general daily play list.
  • “So Dope” (They Wanna) (featuring Wrekonize, Snow Tha Product & Twisted Insane) – The other track with a video out already, and it has amazing visuals, best way to grab attention is to back up some killer features spitting some hot flows is with some hot girls.  Twisted Insane and Tech N9ne both spit out that classic fast paced flow that they are well known for and have both perfected.  Wrekonize from Mayday fits right in with the same style and Snow brought a female twist into a track that was very male oriented.   T9X comes to mind with the beat and references  to drugs, which is one of my all time fav tracks.  Track is in the water section of the project but its on fire!

  • “See Me” (featuring Wiz Khalifa & B.o.B) – Hard hitting beats and a variational flow that draws you in, features that sound great with tech and on this track.  Instrumental that is catchy. Has that classic rap/hip hop feel to it.  Very repetitive on the hook though – most music is, but it sticks out in this track a lot compared to the others on the his project.  To the point where i have to hit next after the last verse so I don’t have to hear it again, like the T-Pain track.

EARTH

  • “My Haiku-Burn the World” (featuring Krizz Kaliko) – Tech spits his Haiku fast then drops into a mellow almost spoken vocals and then it picks up into a medium paced verse.   The music is something else and not what you would expect to hear, Krizz on the track and also repetitive, I like the lyrics on this track – meaningful but overall this track just wasn’t for me.  Between the instrumental and the voice infliction with the repetition I just cant get behind this one.   Very main stream sounding as much as I hate to say that.
  • “That’s My Kid” (featuring Cee Lo Green, Big K.R.I.T., Kutt Calhoun) – As a single dad –  this one hit a spot.  Much like Mama Nem, this track will go down as a classic Tech Piece.  I am not a Cee Lo Green fan at all – his voice has always just kinda hit a spot in my head, but he fit in on this track.  Other features had meaningful verses.  I really cant say enough how much this track hit home.  Raised a Daughter that wasn’t mine, etc, etc. Thanks whoever wrote the verses and everyone involved in getting this track to my ears!   Hoping this one has a video soon, my boy will cameo in it… Make it happen.

drake

  • “Meant to Happen” (featuring Scoop Deville) – Another meaningful track – This one should hit a lot of people, lyrically on point, feature was spot on, slow instrumental that fits perfect and still beats on the subs.  Really just focuses for me on not dwelling on the bad shit that has happened – its who made you today would be a good way to look at it.
  • “News With Mark Alford 3″ (skit) – Positive outlook on the ongoing news story. Enforcing this Angel Heart project – wonder if we can expect a more Evil Brained theme project next (the fans always want more dark tech n9ne music)
  • “Believe” – Very interesting sounding instrumental and faster paced beat, also another Positive piece on this project, I cant say it sticks out above any of the other tracks I have high lighted, but my personal opinion is that its a good track, not something id rock out though. found it extremely repetitive, which i hate saying all the time…  Everything I review seems that way now, makes me want to go back and listen to Priorities again.
  • “R.I.P. Ray” (skit) – Personal Piece from Aaron to Raymond, nothing else to say here.  R.I.P.!
  • “Strange 2013″ (featuring The Doors) – THE FUCKING DOORS! before hearing this track, I probably would of said I don’t care if your one of my favorite artists or not, don’t fuck with The Doors. However this turned out very well, I love how tech just throws down his lightning fast flows between Jim’s vocals.  Hard heating beats on top of The Doors, its like this was meant to all fit together.  This is one of the tracks on the project that makes you want to move, and who would of thought that?
  • “SMB” – Nuff Said!

BONUS TRACKS

  • “Colorado” (featuring B.o.B, Krizz Kaliko, Rittz, ¡Mayday!, Stevie Stone, Ces Cru) – Heavy Feature Track about that Good Colorado that I’m hoping to see at the GoTJ! Who don’t love a good weed track?  With so many weed tracks out there, it’s nice to hear something that’s fresh on the topic.  Sounds great, good mix of artists and mixed very well.  Long track that would be perfect if your a toker to just kick back and pass one or four around!

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  • “Drowning” (featuring Liz Suwandi) – Probably the hardest track for me to get into.  Long intro by Liz Suwandi – and although I am a slow female vocalist fan, but this was leaving me wondering if she was a feature or had the whole track it seemed to drag on for way to long. Once the transition to Tech takes place, the music really stays the same and it leaves it hard to focus on the lyrical genius that is Tech n9ne, about the time I got used to it, it jumped to a shortened version Liz’s part again.  This attempt at a darker track really just failed for me.  Instrumental, Music, etc – this is my “throw away” track of the project if I’m being honest to my readers.  But I am sure many will dig it.
  • “Thizzles” (featuring Danny Brown) – Danny Brown has been impressing me for awhile now, glad Tech got him on this track.   Molly may or may not be my Saturday night GoTJ Date for this pretty much straight edge ninja. So how do you not enjoy a Molly Track with Danny Brown – interlace with sex and this sex addict has found a funky track that I really enjoy. Honestly am surprised I don’t find that main sound “Thizzles” very annoying.  Danny Brown kills it on this one.  This track screams Saturday night at the GoTJ for me!
  • Somebody Else (feat. Krizz Kaliko) – Sex track with multiple tempo’s and flows from techs classic lightning fast to slow spoken.  Classic Tech/Krizz track and how they flow off each other. However to slow at the end for me.
  • Feels Like Heaven (feat. Krizz Kaliko & Oobergeek) – This track really solidifies this alum as a positive piece.  Tech like many people have gained wisdom and learned from their evil ways as a younger person… Just a good sounding track from start to finish – meaningful but clearly a bonus track.  Not a banger or something that will hit a ton of play lists I don’t imagine – but a good track to chill out to.

 

In closing – this project like most full albums by Tech N9ne – is a success.  Tech although becoming more of a positive writer is not slowing down and he is not losing his touch with what people are going to enjoy – great tracks, and well worth buying it whether your a digital copy fan or a physical copy fan – I highly recommend this one.  When most artists are putting out projects that have 1-2 solid tracks on them, I would have no issue putting in the physical copy of this CD in my ride and listening to it start to finish – minus skipping a few end hooks on a couple tracks.  Although I tend to live more Angel Heart now that I am also older – and enjoy this whole thing, I do crave that Evil Brain writing style I know Tech can produce, and hope we get to see some more of that at some point.

Even though this is a huge feature album, I do hope to catch some tracks done live at some point – live music gives you so much more then produced music.  I dont know how feasible it would be, and even when in same location things dont happen.  But a Straight Out the Gate – Live would be epic – or Fragile.    videos for  Colorado, Thats my Kid, and Fragile would be amazing.

Tech is amazing when it comes to live performances, and one thing I always wanted to see was Demons – however with everyone needed to do it live at last years GoTJ it did not happen.  Lets hope we can see some of these amazing feature tracks live at some point.   There is enough on youtube to give your ears a listen, plus the Strange Music Sampler – but honestly, you are going to want this CD, so go out and get it now, you can order it online at:http://www.strangemusicinc.net/

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