GRiZ takes listeners on a psychedelic journey together with his seventh studio album, ‘Rainbow Mind’ [Album Review]
by: Ariel King
Jul 28, 2021
When GRiZ first started handing over a gradual stream of singles earlier this yr, followers’ ears rapidly pressed to the bottom within the hopes that an album announcement was imminent. Initially nonetheless, the saxophone-wielding selector, lesser often called Grant Kwiencinski, stored his lips sealed. Then, information of Rainbow Mind, GRiZ’s seventh studio album, lastly arrived on July 13, together with the mission’s titular single.
Simply 10 days later, future-funk devotees had been greeted with a group of 23 tracks, packaged collectively as a the full-bodied psychedelic odyssey that’s Rainbow Mind. Maybe an amazing quantity at first look, seven of the tracks are brief interludes, described by GRiZ as “shamans,” that lace the album collectively in an underused setlist-style framework that gives a salubrious directional movement to the LP. The “shamans” bridge varied tracks on the album, performing as a manner to assist carry listeners from one music to the following, whereas additionally supplying their very own pleasing stylistic signatures. And whereas Rainbow Mind had first been led by a number of singles, together with “Astro Funk,” “Tie-Dye Sky,” and the album’s title observe, GRiZ commendably managed to maintain the lion’s share of tips stashed up his sleeve for the complete launch, reasonably than merely handing over a grip of beforehand market-tested singles directly.
The album opens with the 53-second, “c h r o m e s t h e s i a” which units the tone for the dub-riddled, kaleidoscopic psychedelia that’s about to ensue throughout the album’s hour-long run. Distorted vocals weave by the observe, threaded with synesthetic messaging because the come-up begins, beckoning the listener with, “music is, in a manner, seen. You possibly can really feel the sense of shade in your thoughts.” Remaining an overarching motif all through the whole thing of the album, the pattern continues to make appearances in a number of tracks. Performing as the primary “shaman,” the instrumental easily launches into “Astro Funk,” and dives into Rainbow Mind’s journey.
1 / 4 of the way in which by the tracklist, GRiZ employs the veteran skills of Jantsen on “Burn Up The Flooring.” The pair patch collectively a genre-blurring collaborative reduce that effortlessly highlights every of their manufacturing strengths in a complementary style as Rainbow Mind throttles onward. The album additionally finds Large Gigantic and ProbCause on the observe “Each day Routine” and Cherub aiding on “Gold.” The LP’s solely different options arrive on “Rainbow Mind” and “Really feel It All,” with Chrishira Perrier showing on each.
Now a decade into his profession, Kwiencinski proves there’s nonetheless new territory ready to be explored throughout the limitless intersections of nu-funk, electro-soul, and modern dubstep. The album manages to strike the candy spot with its setlist-esque development, whereas nonetheless permitting every of the tracks, all wrapped in buzzing low-end breaks and wailing saxophone preparations, to command their very own distinctive traits. The album requires the listener to droop their reservations barely, and on the danger of sounding trite, permit for a bit of open susceptibility to the journey, if you’ll. Although, to that finish, whereas everybody has spent extra time at residence than ever anticipated over the previous yr, Rainbow Mind invitations listeners to enter the outer realms of their imaginations and to search out cosmic journey inside their very own minds.
Altogether, the album very clearly finds the Michigan-native beatsmith having a blast within the studio once more; the convivial, happy-go-lucky nature of the album’s writing course of evident from the mission’s first notes. For these searching for a spirited good time, GRiZ has a bag stuffed with enjoyable on Rainbow Mind, and fortunately he’s invited us to share within the mind-bending festivities. Throw on an excellent set of headphones, sprawl out throughout the rug that ties your favourite room collectively, and dive into Rainbow Mind.
Featured picture: Alden Bonecutter
Classes: Music