MANLIKEVISION - Boy From The South (Album)
It should come as no surprise that ManLikeVision is as skilled as he is. Being surrounded by the likes of veteran MC and father Pun Ra, the “passing of the torch” cliche storyline is one that could absolutely be applied to this particular tale. Since his explosive entrance onto the scene with Best Believe last year followed by mixtape The Visualizer, Vision has garnered attention up and down the country and has instantly become known for his ability to jump on pretty much any beat, any tempo, any stage, and deliver a performance that rivals that of some of the most heralded emcees in the country, nay, the world. He’s THAT good. And he’s only 18.
What stands out most on Vision’s debut album Boy from the South is his maturity. I’ve no doubt that if he went the route of trends and tropes he could be as successful as the next viral sensation. However, his talent has been utilised here to craft music as thoughtful and reflective as an artist with 10 years on him. Lead single Goes Off featuring Reuel Elijah might have had you thinking we were about to get an album of bangers and whilst the thought of that is tantalising there’s a lot more to this project than that.
Traditional boom-bap beats provide backdrops for him to jump between telling his story so far and foreshadowing what comes next, with tracks like the album opener and 2003 recalling his journey so far as well as highlighting his ambitions. Different is also a highlight in the early stages of the album, where Vision trades verses with frequent collaborator Eaton and Noah Bouchard.
The aforementioned Goes Off and the following Stay Mad has Vision with chest out and in attack mode. Again, his certainty of himself and his conviction are selling points throughout. In the latter stages of the album, tracks Anybody There and Where I Live featuring Bard Picasso labelmate Wolfgang Von Vanderghast and Niques tackle mental health and current social happenings and surroundings respectively. That maturity shines here, and hearing a young man be so open regarding these topics is utterly refreshing.
Words: Dave Acton (Larynx Entertainment)