Mobley
We Do Not Fear Ruins
**** out of *****
From the artist directly:
“It centers on a man named Jacob Creedmoor, a stevedore and aspiring musician in the early ’80s in an alternate universe-NYC. He’s a dissident and gets arrested and taken to a black site where he’s placed in suspended animation. Jacob is the speaker on every song on the album and so I used his perspective and history to inform my approach to the songs, both lyrically and musically.”
There is a lot to digest there and perhaps the best part of the album is that you don't need to concern yourself with any of it to fully enjoy We Do Not Fear Ruins. While that knowledge will connect lyrics, Mobley has crafted a Afrofuturism soundscape that works wonderfully as a layered and far reaching pop album.
The cinematic introduction "The End" sets the musical tone while "Only" kicks things into high gear as multiple layers of sound fight push and pull the song forward with rich bass and hand drums leading the way as Mobley's tense and yearning vocals follow. "No Exit" stays with this same vibe as deep bass keeps the groove moving forward with funky guitar, synths and more overloaded instrumentation. This amalgamation of various sounds is a cornerstone of We Do Not Fear Ruins as multiple listens reveal deeper layers.
"Had To Be There" pushes it all out onto the dance floor with a new wave, neon laced dance track while "Y'r Ghost" doesn't work as well, feeling a bit schizophrenic, starting off as a modern r&b get down jam only to shift gears, kicking up the bumping for the final half with vocal effects and synths. "A Story You'd Tell at a Party" also falls short with it's overloaded drama and layers of sound with everything from swirling samples to harpsichord to loads of vocal effects.
However, the majority of the record is a major success as Mobley shows a variety of interesting influences. the agro-bumping beats and slightly spoken word delivery of the pounding "Worriboutta ‘81" call to mind Saul Williams while the deep bass and funky dance groove of "Ego is" are reminiscent of Justin Timberlake at his solo peak. The shifts and changes on "Now Forever", from metal riffs and organ lines to strutting get down funk recalls prime Beck and the spacey electro jam "Phantom Hand" would sound uniquely at home on Frank Zappa's Joe's Garage.
Even after all of these influences, the sci-fi concept and Mobley's strong/varied singing throughout, the album wraps up (minus a small outro) with perhaps his best effort "Yesterday's Another Day". Gone are the bells and whistles with Mobley just singing passionately while grooving around a fairly straight ahead 70's beat; retro in all the right ways.
Whether creating a dystopian future, or funking out with sounds of the past, Mobley is certainly an artist to watch as We Do Not Fear Ruins shows immense creativity talent and passion.
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