Logic: Vinyl Days | 4ZZZ Brisbane 102.1FM

- I have to admit, despite his extensive presence in the game -for the last decade- this is the first time I have ever heard a full Logic project. The Maryland MC has always had listeners on either end of the love/hate spectrum so when latest project Vinyl Days garnered a positive response I was intrigued. Coming on the heels of ‘retirement’, Logic has decided to ditch the Def Jam label by delivering one last love letter to hip-hop.

Opening track Tetris brings an older hip-hop flavour with Logic and his main producer 6IX attempting to replicate the style of late great J Dilla. The drums are booming with short guitar loops and sporadic vocal samples to back. Logic is in full out-the-gate brag mode with a focus on how his lyrical abilities triumph over his closest competitors. The style is just as Vinyl Days promises: a competent reiteration of old-school rappers who were directly concerned only with skill over anything else.

BLACKWHITEBOY is a clear criticism of Logic naysayers: particularly playing up the rapper’s apparent constant mention of his biracial heritage. He addresses the belief that he is a ‘lyrical-miracle’ try-hard rapper while further showing love to the lyrical rappers he’s inspired by, through two fast and solid verses. The beat incorporates boom-bap drums again but distinguishes itself through glitchy keys and a frantic pace. BLACKWHITEBOY is a solid hip-hop song by a man who clearly doesn’t take criticism lightly, but is skilled enough to turn that criticism into worth-while classic rap imitation.

I like a lot of the middle portion of Vinyl Days, a very long record at thirty tracks, but I’d say the project is held back by a level of corniness that Logic just can’t seem to shake. Quasi is meant to be an endearing love-letter to Madlib but it’s hard to take seriously when Logic is on his knees begging Madlib to rap again. LaDonda is a fun track depending on how you feel about Logic’s old fantasies about murdering internet critic Anthony Fantano; I personally feel it’s tongue in cheek, if not a bit forced.

Therapy Music has gorgeous, classic, piano-based hip-hop production and a good verse from Logic but guest rapper Russ is a heavy eye-roll. Logic speeds up the beat from Redveil’s Weight for Breath Control which plays as decent enough fodder for a typical spaced-out Wiz Khalifa verse. Logic brings through recent alter-ego Doc D for an OK cut in Nardwuar, if it weren’t for the cringe-inducing samples of the legendary Nardwaur, the Human Serviette himself. Wu-Tang leader RZA sounds almost uninspired over a tribute to his classic track Bring the Ruckus entitled Porta One which also sees Logic shout out Mac DeMarco for some reason.

The last third returns to the real meat of the record and I quite like Orville with guest singer Like, rapper Blu & producer Exile. Exile’s production sounds like a spacey rendition of classic Mobb Deep with the tinny Infamous drums partnering with a futuristic vocal chop-up. Logic sounds hungry and delivers a solid verse even if his claims of the audience being dumb for not understanding bars about Greek mythology is really pretentious. Blu’s verse is particularly smooth and feels like it never misses a step as he describes his way back to the top after a period of irrelevancy.

Title track Vinyl Days is easily the best of the record as Logic declares his love for the legendary producer DJ Premier as well as his group Gang Starr. Premier himself delivers the scratches over 6IX’s Willy Wonka-esque, nostalgia-enducing, swirling beat. Logic delivers his best verse, corny bars, and all, in a rapping style similar to early Lupe Fiasco. Despite my reservations concerning some of the punchlines, this song puts a smile on my face with its clear love of the genre and that in turns ignites my love of the genre too.

Vinyl Days is a pretty solid project despite its length and has plenty of good classic hip-hop moments for rap fans to sift through and decipher. While Logic’s personality can sometimes hinder his verses, he is at all times a very competent rapper and never really completely falters. My biggest issue with the album is the over-abundance of celebrity voice-mail skits which are unfunny and excessively long. Logic fans have already, definitely heard Vinyl Days but there is still material worth checking out for even his naysayers.

- James Chadwick.