Noism posits a void where all knowledge dwells, a concept that’s central to rapper $ayf‘s new album.
By Graeme Smith
Feature photo by Pryde Acevedo
As well as spiritualism, $ayf’s music is inspired by the likes of Joey Bada$$ and Capital STEEZ, and fans of those artists will find a lot to love about his sound.
His new album Noism starts in a bold and dramatic fashion, pairing sci-fi synths with punchy percussion in opening track Think Large. It’s a suitably ethereal start, introducing the alternative spiritual world into which we are about to dive headlong. Our next port of call is Elevation which gives us our first taste of $ayf’s laidback bars and philosophical lyrics. Reversed notes give a sense of the otherworldly while the vocals are visceral.
From there we are taken on a heady journey in which the atmosphere is always kept moody while the lyrics remain biting. There’s a heck of a lot of experimentation involved, and casual listeners might be a little put off. Open-minded ones, though, will find a lot to get stuck into across the album’s 21 quick-fire tracks.
Highlights include the discombobulating and hard-hitting Ace Card, the brooding, jazzy and introspective Stronger Heart, the minimal-maximal God-Given, the pulsating and soulful Acquirization, the mysterious and demonic Solare, the delicate, piano-led Violet Flame, the cinematic, string-filled Frequent Seas and soulful, uplifting album closer Food For The Soul.
$ayf creates a sound that might be considered quite niche, but there’s a lot of universal appeal in his new album. Soul-searching lyrics tell a story of seeking alternatives in a modern world that often feels alien to a lot of us. He puts plenty of himself into each track and isn’t afraid to do things differently. Give it a go; you may find yourself a new philosophy.
Noism was self-produced and is out now. You can check it out below.