Eneeks is a rapper from London who has an interesting way of looking at things. In one hand, there seems to be this desire to improve the world, in another there is this insatiable desire to make peace with the current state of it. His flow pattern and rhyme scheme are highly basic and thus the focal point of his presentation are the galaxy-like instrumentals that escort every verse. There are some very prevalent Rnb/soul vocals on this release but they aren't strong enough to be memorable. The album isn't bad it is just carried by production and messages instead of surprising lyricism or powerful choruses.
Defining Track
The defining track is "Victory" which is a cue in to the overall goal of the album which is a plea to morality. The victory is a cleansing ethically and Eneeks spends time on the verses encouraging his listeners to reform themselves. This isn't necessarily impossible to do well, but it has to be handled with care before it becomes abrasive or judgmental. There is a delicate balance he establishes by remaining vague about his intent however the overarching theme of doing the right thing screams loud and clear over the track. One final note is there are sung vocals overlaying the background in a very african/tribal way that complements the drums in the foreground very well and allude to Eneeks' soul focused rap style.
Final Thoughts
Retro Soul has very nice production and Eneeks seems like an experienced rapper however, there is nothing overtly special about this album. There is very little excitement, and ultimately he's fallen into the trap of many entertainers who become more focused on educating their audience than they are entertaining them. Retro Soul has potential but it needs more energy.
