Spins: Album reviews

Choklate – To Whom It May Concern

Artist: Choklate
Title: To Whom It May Concern
Label: Me Music
Genre: Soul/Hip-Hop

Choklate’s sophomore album To Whom It May Concern is a breath of fresh air. The Seattle singer/songwriter returns to the scene with an album that is even more accomplished and assured than her debut. While Choklate utilizes neo-soul as the framework for her sound, what sets her apart if her compelling lyrics and the gritty feel of the productions. This is music that is instantly recognizable yet has a fresh and unique vibe.

To Whom It May Concern is an album that can be played from beginning to end thanks to a varied set of tracks that moves from beat-centric hip-hop flavored soul to sultry ballads. It all blends together for a seamless experience. Production by Vitamin D and Jake One adds a healthy dose of progressive beats to the proceedings. Tracks like the title track and “Hunny’s Runnin” sizzle with furious percussion and chunky drums. In fact, the whole project has a head-nodding effect on the listener, thanks to a focus on mid to uptempo grooves. But what makes the whole project work is the synthesis of the production and lyrical content. Choklate’s words rarely settle on tired cliches of love, instead focusing on self reflection, politics, humility and her place in the world. The title track plays like a cover letter with lines like “To whom it may concern, I’m a good girl, I’m a hard worker, I’m still learning, I’m not perfect.” While on “6.8 Billion” she remains humble stating “There are more than 6.8 billion people in the world. You’ve got a ways to go before somebody really knows who you are.” She chronicles the pitfalls of two-timing on “One’A Y’all” and laments the problems with being politically correct on “Pretty”. On the funky finger snapping “No Answer” Choklate ponders many interesting questions such as “Can I love black people? Can I ask us to love us back?”

Rarely does an artist combine such intelligent and though provoking lyrics with such musical bliss. If you are not hip to Choklate, take note. This album will have to singing along and rocking your body for weeks to come.

- Norman Mayers

www.myspace.com/listen2chok

choklatemusic.com

Purchase CD at Amazon