Big Grams - Big Grams

Big Grams
Big Grams EP
2015

What if I told you Phantogram and Big Boi made an album together. Your first thought would probably circle around "What the...?" then you interest might be peeked. Big Boi was always thought of as the less artistic member of Outkast compared to Andre 3000's ability to move into any genre. He thinks that idea is absolute bullshit and here comes this out of left field collaboration with Phantogram. On paper it seems a bit odd and in all honesty it is, there are things that work, things that don't but it is just interesting enough to keep you listening. Big Boi gives Phantogram and edge that they never really had before and Phantogram brings Big Boi into a space where not only He has never existed, but neither has Hip Hop. Where you would think that an album like this would be just Big Boi rapping over Phantogram beats that really is not the case, instead the two split the time and really bring it all together to create one unified sound. Big Boi is not dropping his usual strong deep thought type of lyrics instead He is more experimenting with sound, pushing his drawl forward at times then pulling it back, He is more focused on sounding interesting for the group than sounding intelligent for himself.

"Fell in the Sun" is a real standout on the record and is one of the less synthy tracks. Horns come in loud and long and allow Big Boi to play around with his verse and even allows Phantogram's vocalist Barthel to drop a little rap light. "Born to Shine" sees Run the Jewels Killer make an appearance and show why they are some of the best making hip hop today. Barthel's vocal on the track is also silky smooth rounding out an incredible hip hop track that would have a place on any of the greats' records today. "Drum Machine" has the group making a bit more of an EDM move and while it is probably one of the weakest racks on the album it does have a certain appeal on inventiveness alone. Big Grams is an experiment that really works, it shows two artists willing to truly learn and sacrifice for each other to do something cool, which is also the thought you leave the record with "How fucking cool."

7 out of 10