ZelooperZ - Get Wet.Radio Music Album Reviews

With a newfound penchant for slow jams, the Detroit rapper’s latest emphasizes his emotional depth, cartoonish humor, and attention to detail.

“Skinny Dip,” a song on ZelooperZ’s new album Get WeT.Radio, is a study of contrasts. It begins with a languid sample of a flamenco-inflected acoustic guitar solo that, along with the Detroit rapper’s opening lyrics, conjures a luxurious, balmy setting—say, a yacht anchored off of a private beach in the Mediterranean. “Baby girl said she wanna dip/Take her ass on a trip,” he half-sings. An instant later, producer Black Noi$e throws in a double-time beat that completely interrupts the mood, its nu-disco pulse transporting us a few miles away and a few hours later, into the middle of a club in Ibiza. The song alternates between these two paces, and Z’s delivery follows suit; by the end, he sounds exhausted, unconcerned about the destination so long as it’s far away. It’s at this strange nexus of romance, escapism, and pervasive moodiness that Get WeT.Radio stakes its territory.

Get WeT.Radio is inspired by a Spotify playlist which was, by ZelooperZ’s own admission, “the only thing I got left from my pops before he passed two years ago.” The “Get WeT. Radio” playlist mostly comprises songs released between the ’80s and the early ’00s that wouldn’t be out of place on R&B and smooth jazz FM stations. Like the playlist, the album is deeply horny, but it’s also ruminitive and even melancholy. Many of the reference points on the playlist—such as Ginuwine’s “So Anxious” and Janet Jackson’s “That’s the Way Love Goes”—come from a school of pained R&B in which sadness and horniness are nearly inseparable. Grief is never ZelooperZ’s main focus on Get WeT.Radio, which he surprise-released on his father’s birthday, but it colors his words as much as those musical reference points color the artfully curated beats.
With a newfound penchant for slow jams, the Detroit rapper’s latest emphasizes his emotional depth, cartoonish humor, and attention to detail. “Skinny Dip,” a song on ZelooperZ’s new album Get WeT.Radio, is a study of contrasts. It begins with a languid sample of a flamenco-inflected acoustic guitar solo that, along with the Detroit rapper’s opening lyrics, conjures a luxurious, balmy setting—say, a yacht anchored off of a private beach in the Mediterranean. “Baby girl said she wanna dip/Take her ass on a trip,” he half-sings. An instant later, producer Black Noi$e throws in a double-time beat that completely interrupts the mood, its nu-disco pulse transporting us a few miles away and a few hours later, into the middle of a club in Ibiza. The song alternates between these two paces, and Z’s delivery follows suit; by the end, he sounds exhausted, unconcerned about the destination so long as it’s far away. It’s at this strange nexus of romance, escapism, and pervasive moodiness that Get WeT.Radio stakes its territory.

The cartoonish charm that’s become Z’s calling card is still present in the album’s many pickup lines. But unlike previous releases, Get WeT.Radio’s slow jams make it hard to ignore the stark realities lurking among the free-associative jokes and outlandish voices. “Head 2 the sKy” contains the most explicit reference to ZelooperZ’s father, quoting some of his nuggets of wisdom alongside an uplifting gospel sample. When Z talks to or about women, which accounts for most of the lyrics, it’s usually playful, but it can also be sensitive. On closer “Who U Love,” which depicts an it’s-him-or-me ultimatum in a crumbling relationship, Z sees hope through the pain: “When your tears hit the concrete grew a bouquet of flowers.” Even though his lyrics aren’t preoccupied with death, his tone is colored with the heightened empathy that often comes with loss.

ZelooperZ’s grounded approach is bolstered by the cohesive sound of the record. The late-night ambience of his father’s favorite music is recreated via samples that are flipped into impossibly smooth beats, mostly by the central brain trust of Dilip and frequent Bruiser Brigade collaborator Black Noi$e. Guest vocalists like Fousheé, SuperCoolWicked, and duendita are an impeccable fit as well. Alongside underground hip-hop stars MIKE and Hook, they’re the exact type of R&B singers whose music would fit on a 2020s version of the “Get WeT. Radio” playlist.

Slick curation is the main thing that separates Get WeT.Radio from its predecessor, last year’s excellent Van Gogh’s Left Ear. With its Rxk Nephew guest spot, Crash Bandicoot sample, and quotable non sequiturs, that album thrived on the unpredictability that has defined much of ZelooperZ’s output to this point. Get WeT.Radio loses some of that spark amid its weight and commitment to retro sounds, especially when it forces Z out of his comfort zone, which ironically is when he sounds most laid back, as on opener “Sorry.” But the album paves the way for a future in which Z isn’t best known as Danny Brown’s similarly wacky protegé. His vibrant talent has been apparent for years, but Get WeT.Radio emphasizes a depth and attention to detail that’s often been overshadowed by its creator’s outsized personality.

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About Wanni Arachchige Udara Madusanka Perera

Hey, I'm Perera! I will try to give you technology reviews(mobile,gadgets,smart watch & other technology things), Automobiles, News and entertainment for built up your knowledge.
ZelooperZ - Get Wet.Radio Music Album Reviews ZelooperZ - Get Wet.Radio Music Album Reviews Reviewed by Wanni Arachchige Udara Madusanka Perera on April 06, 2022 Rating: 5

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