Album: Broke With Expensive Taste
Late last week Azealia Banks surprise-released her long-delayed debut album Broke With Expensive Taste. Amidst Twitter feuds and issues with old label Interscope, it was speculated by many that the album would never come out. Interscope dropped her (or she got out) in July and now we have the album. And it's one of the best of the year.
Given that it has been quite some time since her debut single "212" hit the scene and got everyone talking about her, which is on the album, as well as other previously released tracks and knowing the record was done over a year ago, you'd think the album would sound a bit stale. But it doesn't. It's odd and quirky, yet effortlessly cool, catchy, and surprising in it's variety and at times emotionally impactful. I'm almost ready to call it a hip-hop classic in the making.
I called her 2012 one-two punch EP and mixtape Fantasea one of the best of that year, and Broke more than fulfills that promise. "Chasing Time" has turned into one of my favorite tracks of hers, but there's a lot to love on this record. I'm digging the Morgan Page biting "Ice Princess," as well as the 90s hip-hop-meets-merengue (?!?!) "Gimme a Chance" as well as the laid-back cool of "Wallace." But it's tracks like "Soda" that show a new depth to Azealia that has me very excited for new music from her.
Very exciting.
Enjoy.
Ice Princess
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