Rebel G Society – Savage Ambitionz – The Concept Tape, Vol 1 (Album Review)

Sometimes, we evolve as artists and aim to put out a new soundscape that doesn’t necessarily trap us in the stagnation of our previous works. Growth is a necessary catalyst, reflecting our current desires and who we intend to be, with its effects being the catalyst to the next step. In today’s review, we will be charting Rebel G Society‘s return to this platform, with a brand-new body of work titled ‘Savage Ambitionz – The Concept Tape, Vol 1’.

For those of you unaware of who Rebel G Society is, we have covered his previous releases on this platform here. His brand was crafted and culminated through the experience of being a multi-hypenate and multidisciplinary creative, all while venturing into the world of music, the sum of his influences and his current tendencies.

This new body of work is described as a bold new sub-genre version of the genre hip-hop, created by himself. This experimental project does infuse other genres such as deep house, rap, afrobeats, techno, as well as rock into a fresh and cohesive tapestry. As usual, he aims to push the conventions of creative boundaries.

I have to also add within the liner notes that Rebel G Society has diligently studied the feedback from his previous two releases, which I find quite commendable. It takes humility and understanding your own craft to be able to improve upon it and most people lack this trait as an artist. Following concerns about mastering, in which I previously mentioned, he has made it a mission to infuse an elevated mastering process within this release, resulting in a unique sonic experience that incorporates rich 3D ambient layers that does come alive through high-quality headphones.

The project was produced and written over three months, featuring select tracks that were left in the vault for two years, now remastered to elevate the tracks and also stick to the futuristic aesthetic surrounding the release. It is also heavily anime-inspired, with spoken word excerpts and cinematic elements tied into it.

Lastly, we are to expect glitchy, electronic beats with a strong emphasis on melody and daring experimental tones. Rebel G Society mentions, that if he had to describe the influence behind the project, you would have to imagine Wu-Tang Clan energy fused with the raw innovation of Kanye West’s Yeezus- a unique and rebellious spin on Hip-Hop.

I can definitely hear the difference in the mastering, especially with the use of pads that definitely lean more towards film scoring as well as fx. I can also hear a lot of panning within the vocals of the first track, titled ‘Shower Posse Flow in LA (My Scheme Refix)’. It acts as an interesting entrance to the album, attempting to induce some sort of anticipation. There is the addition of more cinematic effects such as gunshots and sirens, panned in a certain way to ensure that it gives the track a sense of dimension rather than it being one-dimensional. I am definitely listening to this on high-quality headphones, and I can hear it. My only criticism is within the vocals- at some point I think they take on a rock-esque tone, but it’s a little bit too much on the high end of the frequency range. Just my subjective opinion, though.

The album then navigates through a series of tracks that definitely have a darkwave x hip-hop feel to it, with a bit of subversion and seduction infused into these beats. At times, the vocals are airier and almost in a whisper, helping to elevate the feel of the album. It almost puts me in the mind of the mixtape ‘RockAByeBaby’ by Cassie, in terms of its edge and production. However, it is definitely more ‘elevated’ and new-age to fit this time period and the futurism that fuels the ‘now’, from production techniques to aesthetic choices.

In classic Rebel G Society style, none of the tracks are inherently boring- with the sudden tempo change bringing variation to the track ‘Cream Cola’, reminiscent of the tempo change on tracks like ‘West Coast’ by Lana del Rey with Central African inspired guitar loops. Some of the tracks on the album can make you feel hyped, and some of the tracks on the album can definitely pierce deeper into your psyche, giving you a chiller feel. Another track that will put you in the same mood is ‘Come My Yard’, with a similar Afrobeats-esque sample and chill percussive elements. ‘Cosmic Lust’ follows suit with the same feel, this time with a more vintage yet timeless sample providing you with a sensational soulful treatise to love and companionship.

Personally, I think ‘Chrome Teeth’ is one of the best tracks on this album. The levels are all extremely even, with an eclectic beat that features futuristic punches. This song has the most edge and dynamicism, and I just generally love the track. The vocals also flow better within this track, without an off-tune and a general feel for the timbre of the track. It really reminds me of the song ‘I Love It’, from the mixtape I mentioned earlier.

‘Lust Omega‘ also acts as another magnum opus on this album, being another example of Rebel G’s knack for experimentation and pushing the boundaries of music and production. The flipped sample in this has an interesting timbre and is manipulated so well, to the point where it becomes original. The pitch of the vocals mixed with the sample gives it a slight atonal flair, but it actually really addictively works. There’s only a slight issue in my opinion with the timing of the vocals and the placement of certain verses against the instrumental, but I think it’s still unique enough to warrant praise.

There are also some tracks that I think can work within a more commercial sense, which isn’t an insult at all. I just think these tracks can be presented within a commercial showcase. These tracks include ‘Cybertruck Bully’, with an 80s electronic music and slight house influence to it, ‘Wine Pon The Bass’ with a strong 90s house organ and quick pulse as well as ‘Club Galactica’, a club banger that honestly reminds me of phonk brasiliero mixed with elements to house. There’s a punch to both of these tracks that can appeal to someone who requires a bit of a faster pace, or boldness in their playlist. There’s truly a track for a lot of different types of individuals within this album, attesting to Rebel G Society’s knack for versatility.

Speaking of versatile, I also feel like I have to bring the track ‘Lucid Rage Apostle’ to the forefront, with the intersection of hip-hop and rock. I think this track is frankly quite exciting and really hype, and can be celebrated with the right audience. There’s a lot of punk rock energy mixed with the percussive stronghold of trap infused into this beat and I think that’s something to ponder. (well, really, enjoy and get with it!)

Honestly, even though there’s a little bit of issues here and there with a bit of timing issues in terms of coordination of arrangement, I think this album brings justice to Rebel G Society’s repertoire as a true innovator in the world of music, bringing together ideas that blend his heritage, experience, expertise and intent all in one. There’s so many flavours to choose from in one album and they’re uniquely done for the most part, making listening to this album somewhat of a really interesting adventure.

SCORE/Excellent: Rebel G Society once again proves why he’s a rebel in music, and why he’s consistently scored ‘excellent’ with his releases, providing us with a similar brand of innovation and mixture of genres within one release. This album truly has something for everyone, so take your piece of the pie and savour it.

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