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If you’re just looking at the track lengths listed for Muhsinah’s day.break, it’d be hard to conceive how 10 songs squeezed into a little over 27 minutes could provide much in terms of listening. How much can really be done in about two-and-a-half minutes? It turns out, a lot. Muhsinah manages to pack a variety of sounds into every dense composition, causing even the most casual listener to key in on one aspect for the first spin and then something else for all the subsequent listens. Magically, though, the multiple layers manage to work harmoniously and create a sonically pleasing product.
Her 2005 debut, The Oscillations EP, displayed similar characteristics to day.break, but more importantly it caught the attention of the right people. Overseas tastemakers such as the BBC Radio 1Xtra’s Benji B took notice of tracks like “Construction” and the Northeast D.C. native was on the map. Not bad considering that prior to 2004, Muhsinah’s primary focus had been on music production and not her now distinctive vocals.
The overall package is hard to categorize by conventional notions. Labels such as “broken beat” don’t quite fit because the syncopation traits aren’t similar to that genre’s leaders. Muhsinah’s style is too abstract to be confined by R&B. Musically, standard conceptions of hip-hop really can’t capture what she’s doing, since she’s drawing on multiple sources, notably Brazilian jazz and '70s psychedelic rock, often at the same time. There are few artists, Georgia Anne Muldrow is one other that comes to mind, who play in the same soundscape as she does.
Almost right off the bat, “Discovery” showcases Muhsinah’s affinity for sampling, playing the samples in reverse, and the MPC. The slightly muffled main sample played backwards sets up a mysterious vibe that urges anyone within earshot to follow on a journey to explore the great unknowns of life. Helping the track along are a J Dilla-esque drum pattern and her own vocals stacked and harmonized in a way that doesn’t overpower and plays perfectly to the scene set by the song’s other elements. “Only and Always” draws off of a throbbing bass line and what sounds like a 1960s bossa nova piano riff.
As is her trademark, Muhsinah allows her sound production to take a lead role and simply lets her vocals ride the waves. While this assessment might be oversimplifying what she’s doing, it doesn’t denigrate her approach to music. A great deal of her audio appeal comes from the atmosphere she creates through her innovative production style. It seems as though she, too, is moved by her creations and fits her vocals accordingly. Case in point, if there are despondent rock chords such as in “Outsource”, she’ll complement that sound with a parallel vocal styling.
If there’s any suggestion that can be given as to how to approach day.break, it’s to digest each track in chunks, not all at once because that could be overwhelming. There are a number of moving parts, whether it’s the drum programming, samples, vocals, or (last but not least) lyrics. That said, once the initial complexities are broken down into simpler tasks, putting the songs back together for full enjoyment is easy. With this album, Muhsinah has challenged her audience to slow down the way they typically process music and appreciate all the nuances that build interesting compositions and, in turn, great albums.
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Nice review, thanks for the tip. I'll be sure to check this out, do you if she's available on eMusic?
Good question on eMusic. I'm not certain. She's definitely on iTunes (that's where I got mine). I know iTunes had the "exclusive" rights to it when it came out late last year. I can't recall if iTunes has the EP from 2005. I know you can get the files for that by following the MySpace link or going to her main site.
Also, she'll be the subject of a 3 Stars interview at the end of the month, so be on the lookout for it.
I was at work when I saw your post, but I checked when I got home and she is available on eMusic for those of you who aren't all up on Woz's nuttz. Interestingly, eMusic has her new joint but not the EP.