Bilal - Airtight's Revenge

who's Adrian Younge

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adrian_Younge

And yeah, some of his fake-vintage stuff comes across as plastic to me, esp the drums

the live drumming on this record is pretty appallingly bad, like the worst drumming i've heard on a 'name' record that wasn't shambolic indie rock shit

track examples? i still haven't gotten a chance to listen to the first half, but there were parts in the first half that just seemed like intentionally janky loops.

if this album is as good as sirens (Which was amazing, if a bit short and bitty), i think it might be bilals best album in a while. i think airtights might be his best, followed by the first one, and then love for sale.

many songs on the record are as good as "sirens" which yeah is incredddible

Been listening to a lot of Adrian Younge's productions lately and was looking forward to In Another Life. Those drums sure are hard to get past tho. :(

i would call the drums a little basic sounding maybe, but i don't think i would have noticed so much if not for the convo in this thread. after one listen today i think it's pretty great, "it's definitely a bilal record" otm

production feels less than stellar but the songwriting is lovely

only heard this once, on the train, so not ideal conditions, but the album seems underwritten. i wish he would get someone to write for/with him. nice to hear him screaming a bit though, i miss that side of him.

and the drums - though a bit shoehorned in - are better than some of the drums on his other productions. at least these have some thwack to them, most of the time they sound flattened, or like theyre stuck on a certain preset.

First half is pretty good but I think it gets a little aimless near the end. The song I keep coming back to is "Star Now"

album gets better the more i hear it, though it does still seem a bit underdeveloped in places, like they could have done more with the songs. the repetitiousness of the drum sound is dissappointing after a while but the last song kind of slays me. and sirens is still amazing. i love bilal to death, but while i like that he just keeps making albums, unlike dangelo, i still think he has yet to make an album deserving of his talent. having one producer is one good idea, but a strong writer would help loads i think.

saw him live this evening in london. the relentlessness of younges non-grooves becomes more apparent live, where you just want the drummer to STFU with the breakbeats after a while. i didnt realise how sparse the new album actually is, and not always for the better. his current band are good, though it got samey quite fast to hear virtually every song end in a big rock blow out, like a rock shortcut. i wish bilal took rock's propulsion, speed, and catchiness, rather than just grand 70s heaviosity. airtights revenge worked rock/pop influences in much more subtly. hes still a brilliant performer, and singer, though oddly, he doesnt really give himself much time to relax or stretch out vocally these days, which is a shame.

Lemme tell ya that starting the year hearing Bilal do an extended live jam on "Sometimes" is as good a way to get going as you're likely to get.

what a record

so fucked up on prescription pills
she'll never trust a man again

my ears weren't ready for this album when it came out

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epfE8rjLeTs

^^^ really wonderful song

seeing him with Kassa Overall on Sunday; bilal is always great in concert

i love this. low key

Did anyone spring for this Bandcamp-only, all-star, no preview tracks release?

https://bilalxhighbreedmusic.bandcamp.com/

Btw ulysses idk if that was the last concert you saw, but I hope it was a good one.

it was a good one (he did sometimes!) but not QUITE the last show I saw. god i miss live music.

not heard that EP but i love the new song on spotify, in the rain.