DL Incognito – Someday Is Less Than A Second Away (2013) (320 kbps)

You can always tell when someone loves what they do. They put their heart and soul into their work and create quality product that extends beyond its time. Nothing less can be said about Canadian rapper DL Incognito and his latest album, Someday is Less Than a Second Away. The title may be a mouthful but the concept for the album is a succinct one: a memoir of DL’s past and his determination to build a better feature. At 13 tracks, the total package appears short but is packed with a unified message of love, regret, hope, doubt and determination.

The most striking aspect of DL Incognito’s rapping is his flow. He trades out complex lyricism for bars that ride almost seamlessly along with the beat. There is hardly any fancy wordplay but a simple and transparent deliver which allows DL to get his points across clearly. While some may think of this as a negative, the simplicity helps the audience both understand and connect with the words he has to say. The first track, “Move On [When the Love is Gone]” is DL’s testimony about his love for and progression with hip – hop. “Days Gone” and “Mysterious Ways” are powerful song about regrets from the past and pushing for a better tomorrow. “Grey Hairs” is a great track with inspirational lyrics and hook about living in the now and appreciating every moment. These are only some examples, but rest assured that the other songs on the album follow in the same suit. There are only a few hiccups worth noting. “Super” attempts lyrical gimmicks based on the word ‘super’ that doesn’t really fit in with the rest of the song. DL also decided to include a remix of the first song the album (“Move On”) to conclude the album. It isn’t a bad mix but on album as short as this, it feels unnecessary.

The production exhibited in Someday is especially note-worthy. Most songs are built upon samples of R & B and Jazz songs, giving the album a vibe that harkens back to the original days of hip-hop. “No Rings” especially stands out, being reminiscent of something that Madlib himself would cook up. There are instances where the volume of the beat overpowers the lyrics of the rappers as heard in “Icon” and “Admiration”.  Despite this, it is clear that DL paid careful attention to the instrumentals compiled for the album and the result is a largely successful one.

As a whole, Someday provides a both a break from the gloom of life and advice on rising above pain. DL represents Canadian hip-hop solidly with this latest effort and everyone looking for a little positivity should give it a listen. /mvremix.com/