Basic Volume
Details
LP / Format
Warp / Label
Experimental Hip Hop, UK Hip Hop, UK Bass
Alternative R&B
, Dancehall
, Deconstructed Club
, Grime
, Trap
/ GenreFull Credits
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Critic Reviews
100
On his debut album Basic Volume, Gaika breaks new ground on the UK music scene and asserts himself as one of the most provocative and multitalented young artists of this generation.
7y
90
Gaika is not just the artist we want, but the artist society desperately needs.
7y
83
Basic Volume is noisy and abrasive, but it’s also frequently beautiful, and it speaks as loudly as it takes to be heard.
7y
80
Basic Volume is a strong, distinctive debut from a promising artist whose maturity and versatility are already apparent, highly recommended for fans of electronic music and dancehall.
7y
80
Over the next few months the scope of Gaika’s debut will only expand, as listeners dive into its rich pool of sounds.
7y
80
This is a terrifically impressive and populist debut that can speak to anyone trying to deal with our fractious world.
7y
80
If Spaghetto saw GAIKA ascend as rightful heir to power, Basic Volume sees the Brixton-born artist asserting his dominance and establishing a dynasty.
7y
60
Gaika's debut album builds on the sound of his previous mixtapes and EPs, constructing harrowing soundscapes from elements of dancehall, grime, industrial, and trap.
7y
60
For all Gaika’s articulacy ... the downbeat haze in which he operates privileges numbness over passion and ire, qualities his arresting music merely hints at, rather than weaponises.
7y
60
A record whose hooks sometimes struggle to sink their claws in.
Print Only
5y
40
This is what Batman would sing, alone, to himself, in his Batcave on a night where no Bat-Signal signals, if he could sing, which he can’t.
7y
I reaaaaally want to like this album; it's a step towards pushing U.K. hip-hop into interesting, more cutting-edge territory. The production is consistently interesting; I can totally see why Warp Records picked him up with its heavy electronic influences. The lyrics are also very important as he highlights big social issues in the UK concerning race and police brutality. It's an important record, but...
I really don't like these vocals. Every track feature these dejected, lifeless vocals that ... read more
EDIT: I still heavily fuck with this album, but the blurb from the TMT review is pretty hilarious, and not entirely inaccurate.
A well composed, surprisingly dark (gothic?) dancehall album. It kind of sounds like Popcaan's evil twin, but with smarter lyrics and a socially conscious edge. Gaika's vocals are a bit Future-ish in how washed out they are in certain songs, but the melodies, the production, and the especially mood really make this a satisfying listen for me.
Favorite tracks: Crown ... read more
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Track List
| 1 | Basic Volume 3:26 | |
| 2 | Hackers & Jackers 4:30 | |
| 3 | Seven Churches For St Jude 5:43 | |
| 4 | Ruby 2:05 | |
| 5 | Born Thieves 4:33 | |
| 6 | 36 Oaths 2:06 | |
| 7 | Black Empire (Killmonger Riddim) 2:40 | |
| 8 | Grip 3:28 | |
| 9 | Clouds, Chemists and the Angel Gabriel 1:21 | |
| 10 | Immigrant Sons (Pesos & Gas) 4:20 | |
| 11 | Close To The Root 4:16 feat. Bipolar Sunshine | |
| 12 | Yard 4:41 | |
| 13 | Crown & Key 5:11 | |
| 14 | Warlord Shoes 4:01 | |
| 15 | Spectacular Anthem 4:31 feat. Dadras |
Total Length: 56 minutes
Year End Lists
| #8 | / | Gigwise |
| #9 | / | The Independent |
| #47 | / | The Line of Best Fit |
| #83 | / | The Quietus |
| #89 | / | Noisey |
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