Awon & Kameleon Beats burst onto the scene last year with the LP Love Supersedes. In that album, Awon really impressed with his ability to tell stories about the struggles in life. Concentration Gradient takes the style found on previous works one step further. The production on Concentration Gradient is excellent with a very soulful and jazzy feel. Awon compliments the production very well with stories ranging from fun to serious matters.
Kameleon Beats really shines on this album with really great production that fits the mood while maintaining an almost “old-school” kind of feel to each track. He really improved the sample selection and it really adds to the mood of the entire album. The production on each track is also varied where we get the similar jazzy style but its not repetitive. The other thing about the production on this compared to Love Supersedes is that it is a lot darker. I love the horns too on the track “Wanting More,” as it really sets the mood for the rest of the album. The album as a whole is a little bit more rough, compared to previous work, with more of a everyday man’s approach to each track.
Complimenting Kameleon Beats is Awon with some solid story telling about matters both serious and light-hearted. If you’ve taken a listen to Love Supersedes, and listened to a track like “Crimes of Passion” it was really easy to get sucked into the story Awon is trying to tell. The same is true on almost every track here, and just as you’re head is about to explode because you have been focusing too much, you get a nice breather track. On a few tracks, there are a couple of guest features and Tiff the Gift was a solid choice for the two tracks she appears in. In a way, you almost get overpowered by Tiff the Gift and that is very rare in todays “game” because there aren’t that many femcees. Then you’re ready for some more storytelling because you want to know what Awon has to say, and while individually we all have different views, its great to hear the sometimes politically charged and other times forward thinking stance Awon offers.
A young family can’t grow like they should/ Cause when the food stamps come its kool-aid and bacon, pepsi and dorritos, hot-pockets and satan/ Its so bad that kids don’t believe in dreams/ they rather get a package and scheme/they show the girls how to fit out for that sexy date/ Nobody show em how to make a resume/ And thats because black education is second rate/ And hope lies on sundays collection plate…
Through it all though, we as listeners get a pretty clear picture of what Awon & Kameleon Beats stand for and its nice to know that artists are willing to speak what they feel even if that might alienate a part of the audience. The album is not for everyone, and for many it may be an album that you have to sit down and listen too because of how deep the lyricism is, but for others the album is something that you can enjoy whether you are chilling with your friends or you are looking for inspiration. There is an irresistible urge to head-nod during some of the tracks, as you get taken through a journey of being 07 Black In America, or whatever the story may be. Concentration Gradient is a solid effort by both Awon & Kameleon Beats, and hopefully catapults them to further success.
You can purchase the album here
