by Krishan Meepe (@krishanye)
Off the back of a string of high profile collabs including the likes of The Alchemist (who makes a production appearance here too), Black Noi$e, and the Avalanches, Pink Siifu has delivered us GUMBO’!, an eighteen track odyssey moving through a eclectic palette of sounds. From SoundCloud rap to funk jams produced by Butcher Brown, the album is an impressive showcase of Pink’s versatility.
The 26-year-old from Birmingham seems to have found his stride after a wildly inconsistent past; putting out over forty releases in the 2010’s and another twenty something this decade, it’s impossible to keep track of where he’s at sonically. Predicting anything about what you’re going to get on a new release is a fool’s errand, but his newfound experience seems to have kept his head somewhat level on GUMBO’!. Though eighteen tracks with no consistent theme might be off putting to some listeners, there are enough standout moments here that it’s worth a listen. “Wayans Bros” serves it up hard and grime-y, while the crushed up and washed out SoundCloud rap vibe on “Roscoe’!” will make you turn the volume all the way up. Consume yr lean responsibly. Straight after, Pink serves up an Isaiah Rashad inspired groove on “Fk U Mean,” but “Hold me Dwn” busts up the chill out zone way too soon. Pink’s biggest strength is also his biggest enemy at times. He’s never quite sure when he’s got his hands on something good, when to hold onto it, or when to give us something fresh. Right as you start to have a good time, it’s over. While there’s enough quality material here to keep you interested, he doesn’t quite pull off the short and sweet trick with the same grace that Tierra Whack did on Whack World.
Pink’s versatility gets in the way of delivering a concentrated message, but honestly, he doesn’t really need to have one. After all, he is serving up GUMBO’!. Thankfully, with so many features on this thing, the message manages to find its own way out. Big Rube’s intro on “Scurrrrd” lends some poignancy to the jazzy, To Pimp A Butterfly-esque jam, while Maxo’s verse on “Call tha Bro” is just raw enough to force you to pay attention. Assembling the right people to make a track shine is truly a skill, knowing when to rap and when to conduct takes poise, and Pink is maturing into his strengths elegantly. Even though it’s a long ways off being a perfect album, GUMBO’! might just cement Pink Siifu’s place as one of the most exciting artists in the underground rap scene today.