Typically in the introduction paragraphs for my reviews, I like to focus on the background of an artist, giving an overview of who they are and their past works. Unfortunately, in the case of Noname, I can not do that because of the discourse surrounding this record. Noname has been a prevalent name in the Alternative Hip Hop scene for years, having made a name for herself due to her interesting musical choices and political lyricism. Over the last few years, she has become increasingly hostile online, having been very public in her disdain for the fact that most of her fandom is white. She has even said that she does not want to play concerts for mostly white crowds anymore because her music is not meant for them. As a white man myself, I will say that I can never actually understand how she feels, I can empathize with what she is saying. As someone who has always had Afro-Centric ideas that she has put forward in her music, she has probably always felt weird about the fact that a lot of her fans are white. But she can not change the fact that a lot of her past music has appealed to white people sonically as much as she tries. And if she tries to alienate her white fan base more and more, she will lose a good majority of her fans. If that is what she wants, then that is okay, and it is what it is. But that is not going to stop me from checking out this project, as I have enjoyed her music a lot in the past and I am interested in what she brings to the table with this new record. That said, here is how I feel about Noname’s new album Sundial. Please let me know in the comments below what your favorite songs are from this record, and also comment on how you feel about it as a whole.
Sundial gets started with ‘black mirror.’ This song has a light and pleasant instrumental that has an easy-listening old-school R&B sound. The instrumental’s melody is driven by the sweet vocals of what sounds like a women’s choir. This choir comes in and out, providing the general tone of the melody, which is complemented by chimes, flutes, a bass guitar, a piano, and what sounds like a violin or fiddle. The melody is put over a faded beat that is played on various hand drums. Noname’s low-tone to her voice contrasts the pleasant feeling of the instrumental; her tone and flow give the song a level of intensity and seriousness. In ‘black mirror,’ Noname is stating who she is, an African American woman who is a socialist who has inner turmoil with the world she lives in. She is fighting with herself over the fact that she sometimes benefits from this world that she does not believe in or support. ‘hold me down,’ which features Jimetta Rose & Voices of Creation, Alternative Jazzy Hip Hop sound with a simple yet impactful sound. The melody has a heavenly feeling; the vocals that drive the melody(and are complemented by a bass guitar and various sound effects) have a joyous feeling that honestly makes me think of church when it comes on. This melody is put over a subdued Hip Hop beat that makes me think of Alternative underground Hip Hop from the late 1990s and early 2000s. Noname’s vocal style is not as mean-sounding as it is not the first track; she raps with more of a laid-back tone and flow that sounds very nice on this instrumental. Although Noname’s rapping style on this song is laid-back, her lyricism is very combative. She is accusing white people and former President Obama for holding black people down and oppressing them, and calling out fellow black people for buying into the system and not fighting against this oppression together. This is a powerful message that resonates with a lot of people. ‘balloons’ is a song that has caused a lot of controversy since its release. This song features Eryk Allen Kane and controversial rapper Jay Electronica(who a lot of people have a problem with for his anti-semitic opinions and his opinions on the Ukraine war, both of which are stated in this verse). Unfortunately, in my opinion, the pleasant and interesting sound of this song is weighed down by its lyrical content. ‘balloons’ has a 1990s-esque Jazzy Alternative Hip Hop sound that makes me think of artists like The Roots or Gangstarr. The way that Eryk Allen Kane’s vocals drive the melody along in the background of the track makes it so smooth and light. This feeling is especially prevalent in the chorus. I like how Noname and Jay Electronica’s vocals contrast the instrumental, as they bring a dark element to the song that gives it texture. I just am not with the lyricism in the track Noname or Jay Electronica. I do not have to get into why I do not agree with what Jay is saying, but I do want to comment on Noname’s verse. Among other things, she is stating that white people enjoy lyricism about black trauma and do not ever care about the issues at hand; by making this kind of music, she thinks artists like Kendrick are pandering to these fans for money. Now, I can not speak for all white people and do not know how they enjoy this music, I do not think artists are pandering for making this kind of music. A lot of people use art as an outlet and a way to express their inner feelings on the world they experience, and I believe most artists are doing this when they make music about violence and tragedy. ‘balloons’ is a song that I enjoy the sound of a lot that I probably will not be coming back to because of what is said on it. ‘boomboom,’ which features Ayoni, is the most upbeat and bright song on the record to this point. This is an upbeat Jazz track that makes me want to dance when I hear it. ‘boomboom’ reminds me of the kind of Jazz music they play at a local park near me on Thursdays in the summer. The whole community comes down to the park and dances the night away to fast-paced Jazz music, and I could see this instrumental being played at those events. I love how the low tone of the bass and the high pitch of the horns conflict with each other, as they give the song so much energy. Noname’s vocal performance on this song is solid and her flow does ride the beat well, but the real stand-out performer of this track is Ayoni. Her rich, crisp tone sounds so nice on this instrumental and makes it so lively. On ‘boomboom,’ Noname is rapping about unifying black people while also stating how sexual she is. This song has an interesting lyrical theme that goes back and forth; at the very least, it keeps the listener engaged.
‘potentially the interlude’ has a darker sound than anything on the record to this point. It still has an old-fashioned Jazz feeling to it, but the song’s tempo feels chaotic and its tone feels ominous. This is driven by the gloomy sound of the bass and wind instruments being played. Noname’s vocal performance on this track is more forceful and brash, matching the energy of the track. On ‘potentially the interlude,’ Noname is specifically calling out Kendrick Lamar again for writing his music a certain way to appeal to the masses. She does not want to adapt to making music like this, so she will never live up to her so-called potential. ‘namesake’ keeps the low, stripped-back, and dark feeling of the last track and amplifies it. The drum pattern in this track is especially frenzied, giving the song an even more ominous feeling than the one before it. The synthesized keyboard sound that comes in and out gives the song a trippy feeling, especially when compared to the smoothness of the background vocals and the deep tone of the bass. Noname’s fast flow and the way her vocals fluctuate match the tone of the instrumental so well, giving it a mesmerizing effect. This is the coolest-sounding song on the record to this point for me. On ‘namesake,’ Noname is once again calling out other musicians by name for taking money from bad companies and buying into the system while still claiming to preach equality. She specifically calls out Rihanna, Jay-Z, Beyoncé, and Kendrick for performing at the Superbowl. She also states how she does not feel good about performing at Coachella herself. I do understand her point, but I think it mostly falls on deaf ears. We unfortunately all contribute to a system that feeds into a lot of negativity, but there is no way to completely fight against the system without totally going off the grid which is not feasible for most people. ‘beauty supply’ brings it back to the lighter, welcoming, R&B-infused music we got earlier in the record. This instrumental has so many components that drive it; from the horns to the synths to the guitar riff, everything about this instrumental adds to its joyful nature. I really enjoy the hook on this song, as the way it sounds on this complex melody gives the song a soothing feeling. On ‘beauty supply,’ Noname is rapping about loving herself and loving natural black beauty. She has disdain for how everyone wants to look like someone else, and will even wear wigs and certain make-up to completely change their appearance. ‘Toxic’ has a low-key, upbeat instrumental that once again reminds me of the music they play at my local park on Thursdays in the summer. Like ‘boomboom,’ the upbeat and chaotic nature of this beat has such a calm yet danceable feeling to it. Noname’s vocals on this track are a bit forceful and bold, breaking up the charming sound of the instrumental. I like how her vocals contrast her voice, and it makes the listener focus on her performance. On ‘toxic,’ Noname is rapping about a tumultuous ex who dragged her down in every way. She is asserting that she does not need him and will be fine on her own.
‘afro futurism’ is the most euphoric and cheerful-sounding song on the record to this point. It is also the most “Hip Hop” sounding track since ‘hold me down.’ This song veers away from the R&B and Jazz drum patterns we have heard to this point and goes with a 90s Rap sound. It has a beat that reminds me of artists like Mase or Biggie Smalls. The melody for this song is so uplifting and warm, making it sound so fresh and inviting. Noname’s laid-back and understated vocal performance fits the soft feeling of the instrumental. On ‘afro futurism,’ NoName is rapping about how black people need to fight against the system because it does not fight for them. The heavenly, enlightened sound of ‘afro futurism’ continues tenfold on ‘gospel?,’ which features $ilkMoney, billy woods, and STOUT. This song is very aptly named, as it has a triumphant melody that reminds me of church when I hear it; the choir that complements the piano riff is so embracing, and it will put anyone in a good mood when ‘gospel?’ comes on. This track has an easy-going old-school Hip Hop beat that goes very well with the rhythm of the melody. Noname’s vocal performance on this song is poignant, but her features truly stand out. STOUT’s rich, crisp tone she sings with sounds so strong and victorious, and the low, deep tones that $ilkmoney and billy woods rap with provide such a stark contrast to the instrumental, giving it so much texture. All three rappers on ‘gospel?’ talk about how black people have been oppressed and taken advantage of in the Western world. They want to get back to their roots and fight for themselves/build themselves as a race. This song has a powerful message that I guarantee will resonate with a lot of people. Noname closes Sundial out with ‘oblivion,’ which features Common and Ayoni. This track goes back to the dark and harsh style of Jazz we got in the middle of the record. ‘oblivion’ has a chaotic, upbeat drum pattern and a desolate melody that have a bit of an ominous feeling when paired together. The only thing that makes this song feel a bit brighter is the vocal performance from Ayoni. The fresh, bright tone she sings with brings a little light to this otherwise very glum-sounding song. The vocal performances from Common and Noname are very forceful and audacious, matching the energy of the instrumental and contrasting the vocals from Ayoni. On ‘oblivion,’ Noname and Common are stating that they will not apologize for who they are and that they will always try to deliver their messages. Even if the world fights against them, they will always fight for what they think is right. ‘oblivion’ may not be the most positive or uplifting way to end this record, but it does pack a punch and make an important statement that Noname wants to hammer home.
Sometimes, when an album garners a lot of controversy and hype going into its release, it can make the record feel underwhelming. Sometimes on the internet, we build so much controversy around something that it can never live up to the hype that it gets. I feel like this is the case with Noname’s Sundial. This discourse around this record was that it is extremely polarizing and intense, and I just do not feel like that is the case. As I stated throughout this review, there are moments on the record that I do not understand, but I do not think Noname says anything that is too off the wall. Apart from the Jay Electronica feature, there is nothing on this record that truly rubs me the wrong way. I may not be able to appreciate everything she says, but that is okay because this record was not meant for me. Because of the discourse around the lyrical content of this record, I feel like it makes the record’s sound not as engaging. Sundial does not sonically hit as much as some of Noname’s previous work; it is still full of quality music, but it does not hit me in the way her last two records did. Sundial is still a good album with an important theme and an interesting sound, though. It may not do as much for me as it does for other people, but I can still recognize its quality and importance overall.
EAST SIDE VIBES 