Passports

The Spin: Javs – Passports
Released n/a
2009 n/a
[rate 4.5]

Javs is a little-known up-and-coming producer/rapper based out of Southern California and Australia. It’s like he can’t make up his mind about anything. But we thank him for that, as, for some reason or another, it all results in rather dope musical recordings. In a time that sees hip-hop transitioning seemingly toward more electro sounds and party lyrics, Javs provides well-arranged soul samples and lethal drum patterns as his backdrop for socially conscious content.

The album begins with an intro laced with sped-up vocal samples, a more prominent production style on the east coast, but effective here, nonetheless. His vocals chime in, as he tells us of the struggles it took to get him to where he’s at now.

Javs’ voice cuts through the track on “Storm Riders,” thanks to the caliber of delivery that one expects to find when listening to classic hip-hop artists. Routinely on this record, he manages to captivate so much more than the guest artists here. Risky as taking such a classic sample as “Riders on the Storm,” Javs manages more than just doing the sample justice.

“Break It Loose” ticks up the tempo and the energy. While it’s nothing like the hyphy music going on north of Javs’ territory, there’s certainly something here for everyone. Javs shows off some pan-Pacific swag, like, “Doubters just became believers/ Forgive me if these tracks cause fatal seizures/ I’m on the ball, yall watch from the bleachers.”

Javs brings out his inner Blueprint-Kanye for “The World,” while providing his own sensibility. While the beat will certainly leave other producers with 808′s and heartbreak, Kanye’s lyrics pale in comparison. Javs’ ability to change up his flow throughout every verse is impressive, and it’s exemplified here.

Overall, the album has its moments where the lack of professional mastering is noticeable, but the same is true of a great segment of the mixtapes put out by major artists, so considering that this album was done almost entirely by Javs, it’s extremely impressive. It hardly even seems necessary to point out that this album is quite a lot better than many a mixtape, some of which I’ve reviewed right here. I give the album four and a quarter stars out of five.