The end of 2016 brought us loads of new music. It’s as if artists thought the world was ending after December 31. J. Cole’s 4 Your Eyez Only, Chance the Rapper and Jeremih’s festive Merry Christmas Lil’ Mama mixtape, and Kid Cudi’s Passion, Pain, and Demon Slayin’ are just a few of the gifts we received in December. In the midst of all these album releases, one overlooked was Roy Woods’ Nocturnal, which dropped on December 22.
Now, I really liked this album. In the past, Woods has really only been able to get credit for hits like Drama and Gwan Big Up Urself, so I checked out this album more out of boredom than curiosity. But Woods had me the moment I clicked the link on Spotify and saw the project was just seven tracks, implying concise, mature work with a little tease and no throwaway songs. I clicked on the first song, Magic, and I knew this was solid work. Woods was not playing around.
Track 1- Magic
Woods understands the 2017 is the year of rebuilding, that’s why the message “I be doing me on the daily/ I be making magic on the daily” is exactly what you hear on track number one. This song is intense, and it’s relentless right until the end where it breaks down into a mix of vocals. It’s then that you figure there’s more up ahead than this one hard-edged mood.
Track 2- Four Seasons
Four Seasons is basically the same as Magic in terms of message, but it’s delivered with this very soft calming beat and acoustic guitar. It’s perfect “driving music”, as I would call it. Even when Woods introduces a heavier bass, the song just becomes even more mesmerizing. You will actually find yourself reflecting after hearing this.
Track 3- Chilli Peppers (feat. Majid Jordan)
How does this EP stay so cohesive and consistent with these different moods? This has to be one of my favorite tracks on Nocturnal. Woods makes himself sound ugly on his verse, and it works so well in contrast with Majid Jordan’s very likeable boy band-ish type voice. The two reel it back in with the catchy chorus “She’s hot as red hot chili peppers/ Going on a Californiacation.” It represents everything I like about the October’s Very Own (OVO) label (thanks Drake).
Track 4- Involved
The instrumentals on this song gives me some early 2000s vibes. It has that very forceful head rocking beat, and Woods stays right in the pocket through the whole thing. The song brings back some of the intensity we heard earlier in the album, even with cheesy lines like “Cold as ice cream when you come into the North.” Woods also just understands the West Indian island sound so much better than some other artists (Drake, I’m lookin at you), and this song exemplifies that.
Track 5- Instinct (feat. MadeinTYO)
With Instinct, we’re brought back to that chill, smooth sound that Woods seems to specialize in. You believe him when he tells you, “Just know that I stay in sync.” MadeinTYO also makes a quiet appearance. Even with his signature “skrt skrt” and his reference to Uber, he very much follows Woods’ lead on this track. Let’s be real: lyrics are not the what this song or this album is all about. What you’ll find on songs like Instinct, is Woods commanding a good beat, using West Indian influence, and creating cohesive pieces for the collection that is Nocturnal.
Track 6- Love You
This is probably my least favorite song on this album. It reminds me of the kind of salty “in your feelings” music that Bryson Tiller would make. No disrespect to the Exchange singer, but I wasn’t really feeling it on this specific track. I will say that Love You has value because of how well it fits in with the rest of the album. There really isn’t a single song on here that doesn’t have its place, which is the beauty of a short project like Nocturnal.
Track 7- Dangerous
This is such a great way to conclude Nocturnal. Dangerous has a faster pace that makes you want to dance (shout out to those island beats), and this optimistic feeling that was not really present in the rest of the album. It’s like the end of a great night, when you’re headed home with a lightness in your heart. Again, there is a large presence of Caribbean music on this track, but it’s combined with a familiar pop sound that really allows the music to relate to an American audience. It also reminds me of a song that a bad like Years and Years would make, and I’m not mad about it.
