Swoope - Sinema
However, this time I deviated from the norm.
I had no intentions of reviewing Swoope's new album Sinema, but several sites had it rated so consistently high I just had to take a look.
I can tell you right now that I am extremely glad I did so.
What Swoope has done with Sinema is create an incredibly appetizing concept album that only gets better with more listens. The central story deals with themes of temptation, consequences, and the struggle between our flesh and our Godly nature. I find this notable and quite risky, as most Christian rappers deal with rejecting the status quo of Christianity instead of more relevant topics such as this. It revolves around Swoope and his relationship with a fictional character, Mya Desirae. The story is kept running by phone calls between the various tracks. I like the way these are integrated, as they are not too flashy and still keep a consistent storyline. A few tracks break from the story slightly, but they still fit the general theme and are placed quite well in the album.
Lyrically, Sinema packs quite a punch, even compared to other Christian hip-hop albums which traditionally hit harder than the average CCM record. Songs like "On My Mind" and "LSD" accurately convey the struggles of the various temptations presented in the story, while "Bow Down," "Best of Me," and "Right Side" are marvelous portrayals of our internal struggle between fleshly and Godly desires. "Fix My Heart" is a perfect closing to the story as well, with a marvelous final verse from Propaganda.
Musically, I have to judge hip-hop differently because it is essentially common across all mainstream artists, and Swoope does not deviate from this norm. Sinema's most important criteria is its pace. As a concept album, it needs to flow smoothly from one track to another without changing tempos all the time. Thankfully, Sinema paces itself well, sticking with a decidedly more R&B vibe for most of the latter half of the record. This allows Swoope to better portray some of the very complex emotions being felt by his character. The guest features are also well integrated, not being too jarring or too subtle. Some artists overload on features, but Swoope keeps them to a healthy medium. Swoope also has a good flow that is always intelligible due to his crisp, precise diction and delivery.
Overall, Sinema is one of the very few albums that is a difficult listen but very rewarding. Even harder-hitting than most other Christian hip-hop albums, it delivers a necessary message about temptation that most artists wouldn't dare touch with a ten-foot pole. That deserves some admiration on its own; however, Swoope's marvelous execution of the themes and central plot of Sinema makes it the standout album of the year to date.
Lyrics (and story): 5/5
Music: 5/5
Overall rating: 5/5
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