Fine, but not fully fleshed
In Neneh Cherry’s fourth solo studio album, Broken Politics, the Swedish trip-hop singer takes on a conscious role as she reflects on the political surroundings with a sultry vocal performance. Four Tet’s signature production is all over Cherry’s crooning vocals to draw out the most from each aspect of theirs with varying results.
Where the album thrives is in its more trip-hop orientated tracks. “Kong” is able to pay homage to Dummy-era Portishead in a way that doesn’t feel derivative nor over-dependent on the past. Her crisp voice modernizes the song to create an appealing and attention-grabbing experience.
“Faster Than the Truth” has its production center around gentle snares and minimalistic bass lines that would fit at a solemn funeral, while Cherry’s voice garnishes the song with a simple, pleasing tone that evokes a feeling of raw contemplation.
Songs such as “Synchronized Devotion” also allow for her consistent singing method to enhance her lyrical content. Her crooning is reflective of her willingness to be a help in what she views to be a tumultuous political world. Her acknowledgment of her Zodiac sign as a Pisces during the track, often remarked to be generous and helpful, is another way she wants to almost lullaby that “It’s my politics living in the slow jam / Everything low, rain slow / Play for supreme” in a tranquil production setting.
However, the difference in Cherry’s singing and Four Tet’s production sometimes shows where the project can experience some weaknesses. “Natural Skin Deep” features questionable production being featured, including an airhorn that remains prominent throughout the song. The airhorn’s presence takes away from the song’s credibility and takes everything in the song to almost meme-like levels of seriousness.
In addition, “Deep Vein Thrombosis” is where Neneh Cherry’s lyrical content and delivery feels lackluster and doesn’t take any initiative to work and enhance production, including somewhat obvious comparisons such as “Like a blood clot, deep thrombosis” which is circular considering thrombosis is essentially clotting.
Simplistic and redundant lyrics such as these ones cause for the album to drag on further than its actual length of 46 minutes. The simplistic and somewhat shallow lyrics take production on songs such as “Black Monday” and “Shot Gun Shack” to punch for less than their actual weight and degrades from the intricate production crafted by Four Tet.
The presence of two interludes in what should not be a seemingly lengthy 46 minutes drags the album even further and takes stops the flow of the album in its tracks, rendering two minutes of the album as a waste.
Despite the on-and-off quality of this album that can be irritating at times, Cherry’s vocals make up for most of the slack she may have on this album. It is an effort worthy of praise but feels rushed and not fully mature in its development.
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