J2K - Wake Up EP Review

[FG]

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"Alright they've been waiting, let me give them something I've been saving..."

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I have been waiting. 'Wake Up' is the new release from J2K and, in the current climate, an EP with ten tracks seems like a bold move. With little room for error, and on top of my own expectations, he delivers.

'Wake Up' is very consistent - consistently good. J2K limbers up for a quick statement of intent on the opening Wake Up, racing along with a slick flow that's pretty faultless throughout, swirling in and out of productions from the likes of Target, Bless Beats and Mega Mos Wanted.

On the whole the sound is quite up-beat, the jaunty brass of Big Brother, the perky droning of Talk of the Town and the chirpy Lights, Camera, Action giving the MC time and space to deliver his rhymes.

But this is the main problem. The production does give 'Wake Up' a unity of sound, but J2K is so consistent in lacing the laid-back beats that things do become slightly samey. I would love to see him vocal a few more hype beats, because he can murder them.

J2K - Barring on Snapshot 2



Barring on Ugly



The highlights are Wake Up and Kick Off Da Hinges, two of the more intense beats. Xtra is also one of the best here, as is Danger, the lead-single for the EP. J2K's flow, the vocals and, by grime standards, novel angle on the subject-matter makes the tune uniquely his own.

J2K - Danger Video


We Do is the main exception in the 'Wake Up' sound. A sombre beat with mournful vocals, J2K's lyrics are sincere and evocative, with Tex contributing to a CD which generally has good features - the underrated Manga has his flourish on Landlords, Bless Beats on Kick off da Hinges and Flow Dan, well, on everything he manages to get on.

Flow Dan's great.

And so is 'Wake Up' really, a release in which the only real weakness - its own consistency, solidity, self-assurance - sometimes holds it back from a bit more hype and few more moments of high-flown inspiration.


The 'Wake Up' EP is now available from bare places, but here's just some:

Amazon (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Wake-Up-J2K/dp/B0026J8L9A/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1247480389&sr=8-2)
UK RecordShop (http://www.ukrecordshop.com/item/j2k-wake-up.html)
Avalanche Music Hut (http://www.avalanchemusichut.com/epages/es105224.sf/en_GB/?ObjectPath=/Shops/es105224_shop/Products/j2kwakeup)
Uptown Records (http://www.uptownrecords.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=4677)
Play (http://www.play.com/Music/CD/4-/9593335/Wake-Up/Product.html)https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5982830412087108769-8813100792958999145?l=fullygrowngrime.blogspot.com
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http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/FullygrownGrime/~4/lfj1YJghX54

Find Out More On FullyGrown's Blog. (http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/FullygrownGrime/~3/lfj1YJghX54/j2k-wake-up-ep-review.html)

[Alter E-ghost]

fully agree (except for flow dan bit)

[fuk off]

Good read I need to cop this when's the physical copies droppin?

[FG]

Flow Dan's a legend

[JACK]

And so is 'Wake Up' really, a release in which the only real weakness - its own consistency, solidity, self-assurance - sometimes holds it back from a bit more hype and few more moments of high-flown inspiration.

it held it back bit too hard for me, i must say, 6/10 maybe

[FG]

Yeah man, I hear you.

If I had to give this something it would still be a good 7/10. If I would have done it earlier in the week it probably would have been higher - the novelty of no real skip tracks on a grime release and finally having Kick Off Da Hinges would still have been strong lol

[adidasgrandad]

Good read I need to cop this when's the physical copies droppin?

mine got dispatched from avalanche on friday so im expecting it tomorrow.

[fuk off]

mine got dispatched from avalanche on friday so im expecting it tomorrow.

Sick swear some1 in the main thread said it was delayed.
par I;ve ordered a few tings this weekend but left j2k's cos I thouhght it wernt out now I'm guna have to fork out for p+p again

[Crayshu2!]

I agree with what you said about 'wake up' lacking hype....which it could have definitely could have done with. But IMO, that's the problem with J2k.. he's a great artist.. but he fails to deliver any real excitement through his music.

Still though, was a solid release with some very good songs on there.

[JayStarz]

Good review, gna go and cop it sometime this week.

[Revolution]

looks like a good buy...

[RIP Jakey]

And so is 'Wake Up' really, a release in which the only real weakness - its own consistency, solidity, self-assurance - sometimes holds it back from a bit more hype and few more moments of high-flown inspiration.

Completely agree, J2K is very good but sometimes you want him to let go.

[Curphey]

Was a good release. Danger has mainstream potential imo.

[adidasgrandad]

got mine monday.

danger is a banger,

vacation and things we do are brilliant songs. very solid cd from an mc who has shown that he can actually write good songs.

[J-Nella!]

WOOOIIII

Xtra's one of the best choonz on der.....

[Dan-91]

Automatic RSS Feed taken off Fullygrown's Blog.

"Alright they've been waiting, let me give them something I've been saving..."

http://www.ukrecordshop.com/image.php?id=5968&type=D (http://www.ukrecordshop.com/image.php?id=5968&type=D)

I have been waiting. 'Wake Up' is the new release from J2K and, in the current climate, an EP with ten tracks seems like a bold move. With little room for error, and on top of my own expectations, he delivers.

'Wake Up' is very consistent - consistently good. J2K limbers up for a quick statement of intent on the opening Wake Up, racing along with a slick flow that's pretty faultless throughout, swirling in and out of productions from the likes of Target, Bless Beats and Mega Mos Wanted.

On the whole the sound is quite up-beat, the jaunty brass of Big Brother, the perky droning of Talk of the Town and the chirpy Lights, Camera, Action giving the MC time and space to deliver his rhymes.

But this is the main problem. The production does give 'Wake Up' a unity of sound, but J2K is so consistent in lacing the laid-back beats that things do become slightly samey. I would love to see him vocal a few more hype beats, because he can murder them.

J2K - Barring on Snapshot 2



Barring on Ugly



The highlights are Wake Up and Kick Off Da Hinges, two of the more intense beats. Xtra is also one of the best here, as is Danger, the lead-single for the EP. J2K's flow, the vocals and, by grime standards, novel angle on the subject-matter makes the tune uniquely his own.

J2K - Danger Video


We Do is the main exception in the 'Wake Up' sound. A sombre beat with mournful vocals, J2K's lyrics are sincere and evocative, with Tex contributing to a CD which generally has good features - the underrated Manga has his flourish on Landlords, Bless Beats on Kick off da Hinges and Flow Dan, well, on everything he manages to get on.

Flow Dan's great.

And so is 'Wake Up' really, a release in which the only real weakness - its own consistency, solidity, self-assurance - sometimes holds it back from a bit more hype and few more moments of high-flown inspiration.


The 'Wake Up' EP is now available from bare places, but here's just some:

Amazon (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Wake-Up-J2K/dp/B0026J8L9A/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1247480389&sr=8-2)
UK RecordShop (http://www.ukrecordshop.com/item/j2k-wake-up.html)
Avalanche Music Hut (http://www.avalanchemusichut.com/epages/es105224.sf/en_GB/?ObjectPath=/Shops/es105224_shop/Products/j2kwakeup)
Uptown Records (http://www.uptownrecords.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=4677)
Play (http://www.play.com/Music/CD/4-/9593335/Wake-Up/Product.html)https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5982830412087108769-8813100792958999145?l=fullygrowngrime.blogspot.com
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/FullygrownGrime?d=yIl2AUoC8zA (http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/FullygrownGrime?a=lfj1YJghX54:vRv0hPJU2Yw:yIl2AUoC 8zA) http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/FullygrownGrime?i=lfj1YJghX54:vRv0hPJU2Yw:F7zBnMyn 0Lo (http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/FullygrownGrime?a=lfj1YJghX54:vRv0hPJU2Yw:F7zBnMyn 0Lo) http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/FullygrownGrime?d=qj6IDK7rITs (http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/FullygrownGrime?a=lfj1YJghX54:vRv0hPJU2Yw:qj6IDK7r ITs) http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/FullygrownGrime?d=7Q72WNTAKBA (http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/FullygrownGrime?a=lfj1YJghX54:vRv0hPJU2Yw:7Q72WNTA KBA)
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Find Out More On FullyGrown's Blog. (http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/FullygrownGrime/~3/lfj1YJghX54/j2k-wake-up-ep-review.html)
Spot on tbh.
Only properly listened to this earlier and your post describes exactly my thoughts on the CD.
A very well rounded EP, 10 very good tracks, but there was no real 'oomph' for me.

[talee]

this cd is good danger is a big tune

[Retrofreak]

Dry, could've been so much better.

[FG]

WOOOIIII

Xtra's one of the best choonz on der.....

Good bars on there and a nice beat, you did a lot


spot on tbh.

Safe


Dry, could've been so much better.

I get where you're coming from but dry is a bit harsh. Every grime CD I've listened to could be better. I rate J2K highly so he could have given more, but still you have to look at it objectively and in relation to other CDs. From that point of view it's still a good consistent CD

[Retrofreak]

Good bars on there and a nice beat, you did a lot



Safe



I get where you're coming from but dry is a bit harsh. Every grime CD I've listened to could be better. I rate J2K highly so he could have given more, but still you have to look at it objectively and in relation to other CDs. From that point of view it's still a good consistent CD

All together I think it's deff a professional effort, but It's dry because:

1. Some of the features ruined tracks..e.g. "Extra"
2. Rhyme style is sick, but gets boring and samey, he needed to switch up more.
3. Lacks the energy and variety needed for an EP.
4. CD starts off great then gets boring and suffers from an anti climax at the end.
5. For J2K's long absence I expected more, from the beats and hooks.
6. Most of the tracks start off excellent...then went nowhere.

[JayStarz]

All together I think it's deff a professional effort, but It's dry because:

1. Some of the features ruined tracks..e.g. "Extra"
2. Rhyme style is sick, but gets boring and samey, he needed to switch up more.
3. Lacks the energy and variety needed for an EP.
4. CD starts off great then gets boring and suffers from an anti climax at the end.
5. For J2K's long absence I expected more, from the beats and hooks.
6. Most of the tracks start off excellent...then went nowhere.

have to agree tbh.

I don't think I liked any of the beats either (am just working off one listen at the gym though)

[Jay]

I thought it was a good steady release, nice bit of different stuff in there.