Jonathan Emile The Lover/Fighter Document LP: Review
Filled with many twists and turns The Lover/Fighter Document LP covers many musical aspects in terms of production and lyrical style, and demonstrates Jonathan’s musical talent. Sometimes todays Hip Hop from a consumer standpoint, can seem very much sex, violence, and fashion driven with elements of bravado that seem over the top at times, but that has always been part of the fabric of Hip Hop itself, (infused in its DNA), one only has to research Rap’s history to find out it’s a genre that like’s to push boundaries in that type of territory, but amongst all that there have always been those with there (two feet on the ground) and Jonathan Emile definitely falls into that category. At first listen this LP really speaks volumes in diversity, the lyrical delivery is impressive, after a few tracks the album starts to show musical elements that give a few more layers to production. Jonathan Emile’s story is of cancer patient to scholar to, music has been a long time in the making and as Montreal’s finest Hip Hop sensation and this LP to boot, the future looks bright. The Lover/Fighter Document LP demonstrates complex musical elements mixed into production. Elements of digital synthesis, sounds of reggae and digital drum mixes that demonstrate complexity. The first four tracks really set the tone for the album, and lead nicely to one of my favorite tracks off the album, “Warp 9” that oozes with digital synths, knocking drums and lyrics that are descriptive and melodic and focus on the narrative of the song, kind of taking you on a journey. I love this song and it really encapsulates what Jonathan Emile was trying to achieve. Throughout the LP there is diversity musically with Jazz, R&B and electronic alternative style Hip Hop and some Reggae and Tribal influences, most notably on tracks like Coconut Wata and A.G.E.S and some great features too including appearances from Murs, Buckshot, Tec Luciano, Natasha Marie, Kendrick Lamar, Kim Richardson, and Ashley Rose. The Lover/Fighter Document LP demonstrates that Hip-Hop can be of musical form and even uses some neat instrumentalists and live instrument production using Cello’s and Horns. Great composition and a fantastic blend of tracks that’s well put together musically and shows a spiritual journey. The Lover/Fighter Document LP definitely deserves all the credit, the only thing I would criticize is the Album cover I think it could be more interesting but that’s no detriment to the music. Overall I think this LP deserves all the credit it gets and it’s definitely worth checking out iTunes on Mindpeacelove and gets 4 stars from me.
By Ian Brown
