The darkness of the artwork for this release is effectively suggestive of both its content and the unexpected balance TripLip has achieved in walking the line between hip hop and electronic rock. From a distance, you may think heavy metal is about to pour through, but then you focus on the faces, then the beat kicks in, then the leading artist’s passionate and rhythmic vocal starts to help you build a stronger understanding of the work.
The concept of the track is as heavy and dark as the artwork and soundscape alike. A thick beat meets with a wash of string-like synths – fragments of melody and distortion contrast with one another; images of hope clash with those of destruction and terror.
Lines like stop letting religion tear us apart quietly scream out from the mix, prompting a far deeper level of thought than the vast majority of hip hop releases of late (or releases from any genre, in fact). TripLip highlights a sense of being consumed with social and political issues as an individual, and this very song – the lyrics, the vibe, the recording and performance in unison – all of this encapsulates the title and the underlying intention poignantly.
There is no easy way to overcome or ignore the impact of terrorism. Art is just one means of trying to re-build connection and togetherness in times of great division. Consumed takes the cold road, laying bare the pain and suffering in a detailed and desperate manner. Then you get the instrumental breakaway, a moment of reflection as the ambiance envelops you. And then we go back into the depths of truth.
It’s far from easy listening, but it’s far from an easy topic to address. The track hits with impact because it means something, it expresses TripLip’s honest and uninhibited reaction to recent events, and that realness is what gives the release such weight.
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“Turning your back would just leave a crack…“
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