It's been a couple years since he first came onto our radar, and, though he's emerged in measurable ways both artistically and in the social sphere, he's always retained what's made him who he is. We're talking about GoldLink, of course, one of the most exciting rappers to come out of the DMV in recent memory, and, more specifically, his quick-paced rhymes, willingness to explore different cadences, and absolute precision when it comes to beat selection. GoldLink is not a traditional rapper by any means, and that's what has set him so markedly apart. With The God Complex, GoldLink's introductory body of work, we got a sense of the kind of cohesion that he was capable of. We figured out that he could tell a story instead of just rap fast, build sonic continuity rather than just wow with abstract beats, and package all of his skills together to make a statement as big as he had. The God Complex was a transforming work for the young up-and-comer, but, only the warm-up for what magnum opus of his we have now today. And After That, We Didn't Talk is a lot of things, but, mostly (and most importantly) it's an applause-worthy body of work. It's diverse, it's a collection of (successful) sonic risks taken, and it's a multitude of creative steps taken for the main artist behind it all. There may be less perceptive links on the project from one piece to the next, but what it may lack in that regard, it does make up for with standout tracks. "Spectrum", "Dance On Me", and "New Black" all impressed us prior to the album's release, and now we're taking to the Masego-featuring "Late Night" as well. It's home to a beautiful beat and inspired singing, and that really complements the rapping on the other tracks well. In fact, it serves as a nice microcosm of the project as a whole, as it collects what elements (singing, choice production) are most shown off on it; so, if that's what you're looking for, know that you'll fall in love with what's here. You can purchase the project on iTunes now and/or stream in full on Spotify.
GoldLink