Medasin set a high bar for himself with his debut album Irene. Serene, introspective, and creative, it was a refreshing take on a downtempo/hip hop sound that brought new ideas to both and conveyed them in interesting ways. Today, his sophomore album RIPPLS is out and he effortlessly raises the bar again.
Compared to his 9-track, 22-minute debut album, this new 14-track, 34-minute album is objectively more ambitious. Simply filling up more air time and keeping listeners engaged is always a challenge, but Medasin succeeds with well placed collaborations from Duckwrth, Naomi Wild, Cautious Clay, Jean Carter, and Khai. They’re spaced out 1-2 tracks apart, allowing some breathing room in the instrumental space before recapturing your attention with some well-written lyrics.
Aside from that, the production itself is just simply delightful. Unlike Medasin’s live sets which tend to bring in heavier sounds from trap and hip hop, his album sound is more akin to a more progressive lo-fi. Put it on, drift away, get lost in your thoughts kind of vibe. And I know it might be hard to believe, but not every track has to be a banger keep someone’s attention. 
All this being said, there’s a bit less of an emotional catalyst on RIPPLS than there was on Irene. His debut album was borne out of a memory of someone important. “Irene might as well be considered a collaborator on this, because if I had not simply crossed paths with her, my progress wouldn’t have been set into motion,” he said in an interview at the time. On the other hand, there’s no such catalyst for RIPPLS apart from furthering his own artistic vision. To be clear, that doesn’t necessarily make this album less than… just different.
You can listen to RIPPLS, the sophomore album from Medasin, below and grab tickets for his upcoming tour here.
Photo via Rukes.com
