The hottest news of home hip-hop is the third solo album of rapper Roland Che, released at the end of April, which contains 12 compositions.
Musicians such as Ozols, Prusax, xantikvariāts, Steps, Miks Aksels Apermanis, Uģis Vālodze, Oriole, Kārlis Kolmanis and others have also participated in the creation of the album. “The album is a collection of my thoughts, emotions and skills from the last two years. If you look at my work as a vehicle, you can see that its exterior has been cared for in principle. As part of the album, the hood of the vehicle is also lifted to see if everything is in order.
The rest is up to the listeners and critics, ”says Roland Che. “The album has become more focused on the last six months, so stylistically it can be considered as a loaf of bread just pulled out of the oven – hot and fresh.”
It should be reminded that rolands če has long been recognized as a musician in Latvian rap circles, but his name became known to the general public after the success of the single “Tort”, as well as the song “Riņķa deja (Russian Roulette)”, which was his first collaboration with a music publisher. “Universal Music”. In short, the musician is a rapper, songwriter and producer from Talsi, who has been working in the field of music for more than ten years, focusing on it more professionally in 2016 – both as a solo artist and participating in joint projects, the most successful of which is duo with a colleague xanthichariate. The last joint album of both “Siera plate 2” has received a great response among listeners, as well as was nominated for the Latvian Music Award “Golden Microphone 2019”.
rolands če will perform at the biggest summer festivals in latvia this summer, as well as at several solo concerts, the closest of which is the one expected at the former faculty of mechanical engineering, transport and aeronautics of Riga Technical University on May 13, where Ozols, Wiesulis and Oriole will also perform. Those who have seen Roland Che on stage in action (even if warming up an ancha concert last year at the Mežaparks Green Theater) will realize that this is a good opportunity to have a good evening.
PAR. After the release of the phenomenal “Dance of the Ring”, Roland Che’s upcoming album became the viewer’s most anticipated music edition in the domestic rap. And Roland is not disappointed. Starting with the battle called “Rolix!”, Roland Che will continue to roll like an “all-terrain bobsleigh” and “spread faster than covids” (phrases from the introductory song) throughout the album, leaving no doubt about his qualities. “You can’t even imagine, lo and behold, how I love this shit!” recites Roļiks, and there is no reason not to believe him. roland če’s biggest trump card is lyrics, which are just like a kulak between the eyes, but it is not the only plus, because the bits and the musical design of the songs deserve praise. The songs “Cheese Plate” (along with xanthikariums), the gangster “Cool Children”, the collaboration with Prusax “You Can’t Buy”, the “Just Before Blackouta” (the right people will be struck by listening to its lyrics), are of course also the well-known “Oda tusam” with its “ducks talk to me, gulls talk to me”, uniting “the landlords of all lands”. Well, the heartbreaking piece “Grown Man” with its song “I’m a Grown Man / I Need to P *** and Drink” will definitely become the anthem of any wrinkle and “drink”.
Yes, it is possible that rolands če is the most understandable of the Latvian hip-hop heavyweights – you don’t have to be a real, true and confident rap fan to listen to Roļiks’ music, it’s not a duck’s “Great Art” its lower level. Rolands can safely recommend to his “hitters” (if any) “better cleaned from the crumbs of the navel toast” – “ATV” is Latvian rap No. 1. Definitely at least in 2022.
AGAINST. “ATV” seems to be one of the first albums in the history of Latvian music (if not the very first), when the strongest recent singles of a musician are performed behind the board of a new studio album. However, this does not seem to be the right thing to do. Judge for yourself: according to Spotify, the album’s best-known single “Oda tusam” has collected around 20,000 songs, but the album does not include songs such as “Marco Polo”, which has almost become the anthem of Roland’s concert (around 143,000 listings). Again ”(around 302,000 listens) and even the super hit“ Ring Dance (Russian Roulette) ”with its 542,200 listings! On the one hand – as if Roland already thinks correctly, these singles have been living their lives for a long time, why put them on an album ?! But on the other hand, even the most famous singles in the world music practice are always found in the latest albums, because the listeners still want to hear their favorite songs of the particular musician in one collection, and here they can not be blamed. Therefore, even without the “Dance of the Ring”, this album feels like a cake with the main vibe.
–
