Album Review: Sharky - Soko Matemai (Deluxe Edition)
If you one a fan of social media like me then you have probably came across the name Sharky. Sharky is a rapper from the satellite town of Chitungwiza and over the past couple of months he has been making a lot waves with his music. Local hip hop is not at the top yet but it is making some serious strides. What I love about the genre now is the diversity in terms of sound and style. So after the Shoko festival I was hyped to learn more about local hip hop and that gave me the power to finish up my review of Sharky's Soko Matemai album. So lets see how it fares??
The title of the album is taken from Sharky's Totem, Soko Matemai. The album contains 21 tracks and will be doing a track by track review below:
1. Mitupo (Interlude)
This interlude signals and sets the tone for the album. On this interlude they are just mentioning the various totems. Lovely start to an album.
2. Soko Matemai
On this track Sharky is asking his ancestors to lead him on this journey of life, in his hustles. He is narrating the challenges and experiences he has encountered on his life journey. He is also sharing his dreams and aspiration on the track. The instrumental is dreamy and ambient, it sounding very good. The track has a dreamy instrumental and it blends well with the theme of the track. Sharky gave a superb performance on the track, his verses were structured very well and easy to follow and comprehend. Solid track. The track also came with some good visuals.
3. Dreams
Dreams continue with the dreamy sort of vibe from Soko Matemai, it get you into this "deep in thought" kind of mood. The keyboard work is lovely and on point. Sharky is talking about his dreams on this jam, and how hard he is willing to work and push himself till he achieves his dreams. Dreams are attained by those who are willing to say no, challenge the status quo and work extra hard. The track is well made, the beat and theme complement each other very well. Sharky was superb on the verses, one can hear the passion in his vocals, loved his performance. Solid jam.
4. Shungu
They carried on with the dreamy/enchanting vibe onto this track. The instrumental here is a fusion of traditional music and hip hop. The end result is a lovely instrumental, love the addition of the flute. Sharky is saying all his failures, his hardships and all the times he was being overlooked gave him motivation. This is a case of making the best of what you have, believing in yourself and powering through despite what the world throws at you. Sharky again gave a superb performance on the track, loved his rapping style on the verses, the spoken word/Detembo kind of style he implemented especially on the first verse was fantastic. Good jam.
5. Dzoka ft Crimson Blu
Did a review of this track a couple of months ago : Dzoka Track Review. Still love this jam, one of my favourite on the album. The instrumental is one to die for, that guitar eish!!!!!
6. Dab, Bounce, Kill It (Skit)
This skit is signalling the change of the sound and mood of the tracks. The skit is sounding like it was a recorded on a cassette.
7. Killin'
The instrumental is sounding superb on this track. Love the reggae vibe the beat has and the fusion with Hip Hop/trap was done very well. The sneaky keyboard work adds more flavour to the track. Great work by Dj Krimmz Beatz. Sharky is saying all he puts a lot of work and effort because he want to make a Killin' in the industry. "In it to win it" as they say. Loved Sharky's perfomance here, he was superb on the verses and hook. The way he complemented the instrumental here again its just on point. Found myself subconsciously bumping my head to the jam in no time.
8. Do I
They carried on the the trap sound on this one. The instrumental is sounding good but its generic. This track like Killin' above is about making it and creating a legacy. Sharky gave a good performance on the verses. The chorus seems to be clashing with the instrumental, and is some parts its not clearly audible. Regardless its a good track.
9. Chitungwiza (Interlude)
The interlude has no vocals but some lovely soulful guitar and string work. Mellow and chilled.
10. Freedom
Some strong strings and lovely acoustic guitar strums greet you on this track and they continue for the duration of the track. The instrumental is sounding good, the bass line is heavy and kind of muffled, the guitar work is simple but on point. The guitar outro is superb. Freedom is hard to come by, many do not even know what freedom is, a lot of things bound us in our lives. Sharky is speaking out for his freedom for he has had enough of suffering in silence. He also gave a very good performance both on the verses and chorus. Good jam.
11. Mushando
This intro is a bit strange/peculiar but nice. They went for an afro beat sound for this track. The instrumentals are arranged well, the bass line is sounding good, in overall the beat is sounding okay. Mushando is urging people to work kuti zvifambe. Sharky is narrating the challenges and experiences he faces on daily basis as he is trying to work and make ends meet. He is also urging people to make use of their talents and skills. On top of that Sharky gave a good signature performance.
12. Apoo (Skit)
This is a funny Skit to bring some lighter moments to the album. Its about that moment when those in your area or life find out that you are the guys who is on radio or TV, and they are like whaaaat!!! i know that person!!.
13. Pakaipa
This is a high energy trap jam. The instrumental is sounding quite nice. On this track Sharky is in a self praise mood, he is just reminding and telling us how good he is and how he always kill it. His performance on the track is good. Nice jam.
14. Taita Seiko?
Sharky gets back to his signature poet kind of mood on this jam. He is crying out to the Lord and asking why there is so much suffering, inequalities and heartaches in this world. The instrumental is sounding good. Enjoyed his verses and style of rapping, also enjoyed the chorus. The track is good but the overall vibe is not as emotional as the theme implies, it needed to be more thought provoking.
15. Rusununguko ft Coded
This strings usher you into the track before the trap bass line commences. The instruments has some African percussions which give it a nice feel. The instrumental in overall is sounding good. The track focuses on the pain of losing a loved one and the anguish those left behind experience. Sharky is however finding peace in that the deceased one(s) have gone to a place of no pain and worries. Sharky gave a solid perfomance on his verses. Coded also did a good job on the chorus. All in all its a good track.
16. Yours Truly
The instrumental here is more bright as compared to the other tracks before. It is structured in a bouncy and catchy way. Sharky poured his heart out on this very personal jam about him growing up without a father and the challenges that follow. The theme is superb and Sharky was superb and passionate on the verses. The downside of this track is the mixing and mastering!! The beat overpowers the vocals for nearly the whole track, its very hard trying to follow what Sharky is saying.
17. Vana
A sad, soulful keyboard work ushers you into this track. Sharky is advocating for the masses to spare a dollar, effort, food to the homeless kids who stay in the streets. He is urging others to be considerate on these kids. His performance was on point and it complemented the whole sad, thought provoking feel on the beat. In overall this is a powerful socially conscious jam.
18. Varume
A sad, soulful acoustic guitar ushers you into this jam. Sharky is continuing with his socially conscious preaching on this track. Cases of child abuse and domestic violence have been rising in the country and Sharky is shunning the men who are behind all those evil acts. He is urging his fellow men to be responsible of their actions and take good care of their families. Sharky gave a good performance. Another powerful track.
19. Vakadzi
The track is on an acoustic tip. The guitar progression reminds me of Phil Collin's Another Day In Paradise. He switched to the opposite side of Varume above and now focusing on women. The challenges single mothers face on a daily basis whilst trying to make ends meet and provide for their families. He also tackled on the pressures women face from their husband's family members in marriages. Sharky was okay on the verses. The chorus was just awful, they could have done better, it just kills the whole song.
20. Soko Matemai (Acoustic)
This is the acoustic version on the title track. The keyboard work is done very well here. In overall this is a superb version.
21. Rova Ngoma!
The last track on the album is on a EDM Bigroom tip. The production is done very well and the instrumental is sounding quite good. Sharky gave a good performance on the track, the vocals are structured in a standard way. I bet this track would sound much better on a live show than when listening via earphone/headphones. Explosive jam.
Stream The Album: Soko Matemai (Deluxe Edition)
In overall this is a very good album and I enjoyed listening to it. Working with different producers helped stretch and diversify the album. Loved Sharky's perfomance throughout the album, his choice of words and style of rapping was on point throughout. He covered a lot of themes from personal issues to some serious social issues. Its hard to find any fault in this project, however if I am to squeeze out one downside its that becasue of his huge desire to achieve his dreams a number of the tracks sound similar, there is little to differentiate between; Soko Matemai, Dreams, Shungu, Killin, Do I & Pakaipa. Aside from that this is a very solid album.
This album has no standout jam, its a collection of some very good tracks. All the tracks are on the same wave length and that makes for a great listening experience because you wont be skipping any track, you just let the album play. Its like J Cole's Forest Hills Drive in that way. I do not have an absolute favourite here, I enjoyed a lot of tracks namely: Soko Matemai, Dreams, Shungu, Killin', Dzoka, Rova Ngoma, Rusununguko, Vana, Freedom, Chitungwiza Interlude, Rova Ngoma & Soko Matemai (Acoustic)...that's like the whole album hahaha. My least favorite track on this album is Vakadzi, the chorus is just bad.
Sharky is not that known in Zim and that will definitely affect the performance of this album. However Hip Hop fans definitely have a gem here, they will be very much pleased with the offering. Its also not gonna win over a lot of non hip hop fans either but regardless its a brilliant album.
Proud Zimbo Rating : A(82%)
What are your thoughts on the album??
2. Soko Matemai
On this track Sharky is asking his ancestors to lead him on this journey of life, in his hustles. He is narrating the challenges and experiences he has encountered on his life journey. He is also sharing his dreams and aspiration on the track. The instrumental is dreamy and ambient, it sounding very good. The track has a dreamy instrumental and it blends well with the theme of the track. Sharky gave a superb performance on the track, his verses were structured very well and easy to follow and comprehend. Solid track. The track also came with some good visuals.
3. Dreams
Dreams continue with the dreamy sort of vibe from Soko Matemai, it get you into this "deep in thought" kind of mood. The keyboard work is lovely and on point. Sharky is talking about his dreams on this jam, and how hard he is willing to work and push himself till he achieves his dreams. Dreams are attained by those who are willing to say no, challenge the status quo and work extra hard. The track is well made, the beat and theme complement each other very well. Sharky was superb on the verses, one can hear the passion in his vocals, loved his performance. Solid jam.
4. Shungu
They carried on with the dreamy/enchanting vibe onto this track. The instrumental here is a fusion of traditional music and hip hop. The end result is a lovely instrumental, love the addition of the flute. Sharky is saying all his failures, his hardships and all the times he was being overlooked gave him motivation. This is a case of making the best of what you have, believing in yourself and powering through despite what the world throws at you. Sharky again gave a superb performance on the track, loved his rapping style on the verses, the spoken word/Detembo kind of style he implemented especially on the first verse was fantastic. Good jam.
5. Dzoka ft Crimson Blu
Did a review of this track a couple of months ago : Dzoka Track Review. Still love this jam, one of my favourite on the album. The instrumental is one to die for, that guitar eish!!!!!
6. Dab, Bounce, Kill It (Skit)
This skit is signalling the change of the sound and mood of the tracks. The skit is sounding like it was a recorded on a cassette.
7. Killin'
The instrumental is sounding superb on this track. Love the reggae vibe the beat has and the fusion with Hip Hop/trap was done very well. The sneaky keyboard work adds more flavour to the track. Great work by Dj Krimmz Beatz. Sharky is saying all he puts a lot of work and effort because he want to make a Killin' in the industry. "In it to win it" as they say. Loved Sharky's perfomance here, he was superb on the verses and hook. The way he complemented the instrumental here again its just on point. Found myself subconsciously bumping my head to the jam in no time.
8. Do I
They carried on the the trap sound on this one. The instrumental is sounding good but its generic. This track like Killin' above is about making it and creating a legacy. Sharky gave a good performance on the verses. The chorus seems to be clashing with the instrumental, and is some parts its not clearly audible. Regardless its a good track.
9. Chitungwiza (Interlude)
The interlude has no vocals but some lovely soulful guitar and string work. Mellow and chilled.
10. Freedom
Some strong strings and lovely acoustic guitar strums greet you on this track and they continue for the duration of the track. The instrumental is sounding good, the bass line is heavy and kind of muffled, the guitar work is simple but on point. The guitar outro is superb. Freedom is hard to come by, many do not even know what freedom is, a lot of things bound us in our lives. Sharky is speaking out for his freedom for he has had enough of suffering in silence. He also gave a very good performance both on the verses and chorus. Good jam.
11. Mushando
This intro is a bit strange/peculiar but nice. They went for an afro beat sound for this track. The instrumentals are arranged well, the bass line is sounding good, in overall the beat is sounding okay. Mushando is urging people to work kuti zvifambe. Sharky is narrating the challenges and experiences he faces on daily basis as he is trying to work and make ends meet. He is also urging people to make use of their talents and skills. On top of that Sharky gave a good signature performance.
12. Apoo (Skit)
This is a funny Skit to bring some lighter moments to the album. Its about that moment when those in your area or life find out that you are the guys who is on radio or TV, and they are like whaaaat!!! i know that person!!.
13. Pakaipa
This is a high energy trap jam. The instrumental is sounding quite nice. On this track Sharky is in a self praise mood, he is just reminding and telling us how good he is and how he always kill it. His performance on the track is good. Nice jam.
14. Taita Seiko?
Sharky gets back to his signature poet kind of mood on this jam. He is crying out to the Lord and asking why there is so much suffering, inequalities and heartaches in this world. The instrumental is sounding good. Enjoyed his verses and style of rapping, also enjoyed the chorus. The track is good but the overall vibe is not as emotional as the theme implies, it needed to be more thought provoking.
15. Rusununguko ft Coded
This strings usher you into the track before the trap bass line commences. The instruments has some African percussions which give it a nice feel. The instrumental in overall is sounding good. The track focuses on the pain of losing a loved one and the anguish those left behind experience. Sharky is however finding peace in that the deceased one(s) have gone to a place of no pain and worries. Sharky gave a solid perfomance on his verses. Coded also did a good job on the chorus. All in all its a good track.
16. Yours Truly
The instrumental here is more bright as compared to the other tracks before. It is structured in a bouncy and catchy way. Sharky poured his heart out on this very personal jam about him growing up without a father and the challenges that follow. The theme is superb and Sharky was superb and passionate on the verses. The downside of this track is the mixing and mastering!! The beat overpowers the vocals for nearly the whole track, its very hard trying to follow what Sharky is saying.
17. Vana
A sad, soulful keyboard work ushers you into this track. Sharky is advocating for the masses to spare a dollar, effort, food to the homeless kids who stay in the streets. He is urging others to be considerate on these kids. His performance was on point and it complemented the whole sad, thought provoking feel on the beat. In overall this is a powerful socially conscious jam.
18. Varume
A sad, soulful acoustic guitar ushers you into this jam. Sharky is continuing with his socially conscious preaching on this track. Cases of child abuse and domestic violence have been rising in the country and Sharky is shunning the men who are behind all those evil acts. He is urging his fellow men to be responsible of their actions and take good care of their families. Sharky gave a good performance. Another powerful track.
19. Vakadzi
The track is on an acoustic tip. The guitar progression reminds me of Phil Collin's Another Day In Paradise. He switched to the opposite side of Varume above and now focusing on women. The challenges single mothers face on a daily basis whilst trying to make ends meet and provide for their families. He also tackled on the pressures women face from their husband's family members in marriages. Sharky was okay on the verses. The chorus was just awful, they could have done better, it just kills the whole song.
20. Soko Matemai (Acoustic)
This is the acoustic version on the title track. The keyboard work is done very well here. In overall this is a superb version.
21. Rova Ngoma!
The last track on the album is on a EDM Bigroom tip. The production is done very well and the instrumental is sounding quite good. Sharky gave a good performance on the track, the vocals are structured in a standard way. I bet this track would sound much better on a live show than when listening via earphone/headphones. Explosive jam.
Stream The Album: Soko Matemai (Deluxe Edition)
In overall this is a very good album and I enjoyed listening to it. Working with different producers helped stretch and diversify the album. Loved Sharky's perfomance throughout the album, his choice of words and style of rapping was on point throughout. He covered a lot of themes from personal issues to some serious social issues. Its hard to find any fault in this project, however if I am to squeeze out one downside its that becasue of his huge desire to achieve his dreams a number of the tracks sound similar, there is little to differentiate between; Soko Matemai, Dreams, Shungu, Killin, Do I & Pakaipa. Aside from that this is a very solid album.
This album has no standout jam, its a collection of some very good tracks. All the tracks are on the same wave length and that makes for a great listening experience because you wont be skipping any track, you just let the album play. Its like J Cole's Forest Hills Drive in that way. I do not have an absolute favourite here, I enjoyed a lot of tracks namely: Soko Matemai, Dreams, Shungu, Killin', Dzoka, Rova Ngoma, Rusununguko, Vana, Freedom, Chitungwiza Interlude, Rova Ngoma & Soko Matemai (Acoustic)...that's like the whole album hahaha. My least favorite track on this album is Vakadzi, the chorus is just bad.
Sharky is not that known in Zim and that will definitely affect the performance of this album. However Hip Hop fans definitely have a gem here, they will be very much pleased with the offering. Its also not gonna win over a lot of non hip hop fans either but regardless its a brilliant album.
Proud Zimbo Rating : A(82%)
What are your thoughts on the album??
Proud_Zimbo
Comments
Post a Comment