Today, I am reviewing Sean Leon's new mixtape, which is titled Narcissus, the Drowning of Ego. This guy hails from Toronto, and I have never really heard of him before. I am reviewing this because of the hype I was seeing from it on the internet. I was pretty curious why Sean is getting more popular from this project. So, I have no idea what to expect. Will Sean Leon deliver on this mixtape?
Let me begin the review by saying this: Narcissus, the Drowning of Ego features some of the most unique hip hop I have heard this year. This stuff sounds like nothing I've ever heard before, and it really is some weird and experimental music. Something must be made clear, though. Unique doesn't always mean good. Sean Leon takes wild risks on every song here, but they don't all work out. Take the first song on the project, Narcissus, as an example. The song is a whopping 10 and a half minutes long, and it doesn't really justify its insane length. As an MC, I don't see much in Sean Leon, but it is so hard to tell. He is very abstract, and his flow is choppy and unusual. Sean will do odd things while spitting, like randomly pausing or saying the same line over and over again. Lyrically, he will occasionally say something profound, but also bring out some pretty trashy verses. One thing Sean can do is put together a topical song, though. I like how a good amount of these tracks have topics on them. Sean does a great job explaining topics on the songs Vanity, Tania's Song, and especially Pretty Girls Put Boys In Cemeteries. The two-part song City is a highlight here, as Sean's lyrics and flow were on point, and the hook was catchy. Overall, this guy is an extremely weird rapper to listen to. It is hard to pinpoint where is skill level is, because he has moments of genius, then some pretty unforgivable moments. I did end up enjoying his rapping after a few listens, maybe just because of how entertaining in can be.
The real beast of this album is definitely is production. Every single instrumental on this project is amazing. Even though it is some of the most off-kilter, weird production I've heard this year, I am still blown away by it. The beats here have a consistently dark tone to them, and the album sounds very dreary and grim because of this. It is a vibe that I really enjoy, and it makes the mood very personal. The opening song Narcissus, starts with some trap style drums, haunting male vocal samples, and a very atmospheric feel. As the song goes on, the beat evolves, bringing in some awesome guitars. The song Vanity feels very twisted and crazy with its unorthodox synthesizers. I love the beat on the track Petty too, as it has some bouncy synths to give the track some groove. It sounds fantastic. The instrumental for Tania's Song is very quiet, relaxing, and happy, while matching the love theme perfectly. It is one of the only beats I've ever heard that sounds happy and dark at the same time. The closing track, Elephant Graveyard, the closer to this project, has some wild production. It starts off extremely sinister and dark, but becomes more relaxed and light as the beat goes on, mixing in some very cool vocal samples. Overall the production on this project is ambitious, experimental, and unpredictable. I absolutely loved it, and it set a distinct vibe for the whole mixtape.
NARCISSUS, THE DROWNING OF EGO WRAP UP
+Sean Leon is a risk-taking, unique, and interesting MC
+Great topical songs
+Excellent production
+Dark vibe throughout
+Incredibly unique and experimental
-A few risks don't work
-Sean Leon doesn't have much technical skill
Best: Pretty Girls Put Boys in Cemeteries, Vanity, Tania's Song
Worst: Liquid Courage
Sean Leon- Narcissus, the Drowning of Ego
8.4/10
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