Dublin artist Jafaris continues his ascent to the top of the mountain that is the music industry on his new 6-track project I Love You but I'm in a Bad… Mood.
After the success of his debut album Stride, Jafaris has returned with a new body of work to establish himself further as the one to watch in Ireland. With all the critical acclaim, headline shows and festival runs that came with the release of Stride, the Irish hip-hop scene waited with baited breath to see what "Uncle Jafa" had to offer on this new project. With singles such as "Glue" and "Haunted" giving us a glimpse of what to expect, as well as the hugely successful collaboration with Joy Crookes titled "Early", we weren't exactly sure where we were going with Jafaris. Rest assured, it's somewhere great.
This project starts off with the lead single "Glue". This track delves into how (pardon the pun) sticky first loves can be. Jafaris effortlessly switches between flowing and singing on this piano driven track. The song ebbs and flows between ballad-like section and bouncy, vibe-filled drum pockets that allow Jafaris to sho0w of his biggest selling point which is his versatility. An excellent opener.
The next track "Haunted" gives us a clearer view of exactly what the sound of this project is. This Jafaris delving into a more pop based sound while maintaining all the hip-hop elements we've come to know from the Dublin MC. This track leans more on the melodic side of his artistry. However, the production is the true star of the show. The infectiously bouncy bass line with the merging drum pockets which are swinging all over this record are executed perfectly. The eclectic adlibs and screwed vocals in the chorus are also notable high points.
As he continues to swing for the fence, Jafaris hits another home run with the third track "Beggar". This track is movement distilled into two minutes. Jafaris flexes his ability to flow on pretty much any sound. He takes inspiration as he blends his delivery between his African routes and his Irish heritage. The horn section toward the end of this song gives this record a feeling of elation. This is a love song that you can dance to with no restrictions. A true highlight.
The theme of love continues through the next track "Big Baby". Jafaris describes eloquently how he is struggling to get over a lost love. The production is in line with the rest of the album. It is extremely bouncy with some really interesting synth leads sprouting out through the track. The end of this one is to be noted with its ridiculously hard beat drop to close the show as impactful as it opened.
The penultimate track "Frustrated" is more of an interlude. Jafaris spills potent thoughts over an extremely sparse instrumental of reverb-drowned humming. The tension builds to an incredible injection of energy with a synthetic drum pattern that's infectious and punchy. However, as soon as it arrives, it leaves. The textbook definition of less is more.
The EP finishes up with the track "Mood". This track is more texturally dark production wise, yet Jafaris handles this with no issue. His sharp delivery matches perfectly with the wild 808 patterns that carry the majority of this track. Jafaris reflects on what he learned from this past relationship as the project ends with as strong a closer you could ask for.
Jafaris is a once in a lifetime artist. There is no one coming out of Ireland at this moment who can show more versatility than this man right here. He can flow, sing, rap on anything with an infectious energy that can move a crowd of one hundred or one hundred thousand. Jump on this train while it's in the station because it's leaving soon. Wouldn't want you to miss it, it will leave you in a bad mood if you do.
