Bluthecolor – Better Off Alone… Album Review

It’s bluthecolor, and we are here to take you on a ride, all about this album.

His debut album “Better Off Alone…” is a genre-bending masterpiece, creating a unique soundscape full of infectious beats, groovy synths, and raw heartfelt vocals. Every song has been meticulously produced so that any one of them can easily hold its own.

The album is clearly structured into 3 parts separated by short interludes, with the name of the album ‘BOA’ echoed throughout the entire work – a nice little touch to remind you that what you’re listening to is not just music, but an experience (which he clearly states in ‘house of blu…’).

The concept album kicks off with ‘better!’, immediately sucking you in with pulsating synths and a sub-shaking bass. The mood suddenly shifts, as the song seamlessly transitions into ‘side of ya neck!’, an almost sultry track that lures you into his little world, where switching up the melodies every now and then is established as the norm.

Upon the first listen, ‘Jenni from the GUMP!’ doesn’t seem all that special. Just another track among the rest on this album. But coming back to it you can really tell how it perfectly fits into the narrative since this track is actually when bluthecolor finally introduces himself and when the ‘BOA experience’ actually begins. A very interesting artistic choice, considering we’re already three tracks in. A very logical climax to the buildup of the two previous tracks.

‘Jenni from the GUMP!’ has it all. An infectious rhythm that makes you want to get up and dance, layered with funky synths and super catchy vocals. The whole vibe is conveyed perfectly through Blu’s energetic delivery, never once feeling monotonous or predictable. Blu’s flow is integrated with the rest of the sound almost making it feel like part of the melody. It is definitely the kind of song you would play on repeat for hours on end.

The lyricism starts to shine through on ‘I see you I swear!’ and ‘sorry not sorry.’, where the hi-hats carry through both of the tracks. The tracks here seem to take a bit of a more serious turn, pleasantly contrasted by the humorous ‘work it love, get it love’ sample in ‘i see you i swear!’ and quirky ad-libs. The way Blu raps seems so genuine and heartfelt which just adds to the authenticity of the entire album.

We then get to ‘meee!’, a 2 and a half minute track with not one beat switch, but two! Very ‘Sicko Mode’ of him if you ask me. But he makes it work perfectly, and it works off of the general theme of the album so well, ending the second chapter there.

The third and final part of the album consists of slower jams like in ‘dbz!’ that bring the BOA experience to a conclusion, especially with the raw, stripped-down ‘take care.’.

Overall, the album truly is an experience, constantly keeping you on your toes. You’re carried along with the momentum and never quite expect what you’ll be hit with next. The production is very clean and professional, which definitely adds to the quality of the experience. If I had to think of any bad points, I would maybe say that ‘dbz!’ is the only weak link in the entire album, where it is generally good and fits into the narrative structure really well, but musically it has nothing interesting going on.

All in all, a solid 9 out of 10, and a great start for an artist whose talent and creativity shine through every track in this album.

Released Date, 23rd September
Artist: Bluthecolor
Produced By Starvs
Reviewed By Alya, Music Review World Team