Customer Reviews

Time: Line

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I must say, Nicolay is a force to be reckoned with. If you've never heard of this extremely talented producer before, then it's time to do your musical homework. Dating back to 2004, this Netherlands native teamed up via internet with Little Brother's Phonte Coleman as "The Foreign Exchange" to collaborate on the critically acclaimed "Connected", an eye-opening hip-hop album featuring unique vibes and stellar lyricism. After that, Nic's exposure to the masses quickly grew with "City Lights", "Dutch Masters Vol. 1", "Scion v. 13", and "Here", not to mention other various work that expanded his ever-growing catalog (Primeridian's "Hang On" remix, Supastition's "Yesterday Everyday" and Darien Brockington's "Sacrifice" for example), making him very versatile as a musician.

Now with 2008 upon us, many fans are still anxiously awaiting for his sophomore effort from Foreign Exchange and his second volume of Dutch Masters. Since the launch of his new label last year (Nicolay Music Recordings), "Time:Line" is his first official independent release. Similar to "Connected", Nicolay shares the boards with Houston rapper Kay in a conceptual journey through the time of one's life: birth, death and afterlife.

"Time:Line" - The intro of the album with Kay pretty much describing himself, which sets the tone for the rest of the album. The arrangements sound like it could be used for a Gnarls Barkley track.

"Blizzard" - Full of old school vintage, I could see the hip-hop duo Camp Lo spittin' over this funky tune. Toby Hill adds some nice vocals as Kay describes his birth and childhood nostalgia.

"The Lights" - The life of a struggling superstar caught up in the sensationalism and hype of being famous, now slowly succumbing the pressures of drugs and materialistic gain. Smoothing organs dominate this track, adding a hypnotic vibe similar to Nic's work on "Connected". Myth and S1 provide the crux of the story, Nicole Hurst sings at her best, while Kay brings the story to a conclusion near the end.

"Through the Wind" - When I first heard the sampler which featured this track, the singer sounded very familiar. It's Stokley Williams, from the '90's R+B group "Mint Condition". He's the perfect crooner for this getaway-with-the-lady track, with sounds reminiscent of the '80's.

"What We Live" - Triumphant horns thunder around Kay's reflections of keepin' it real in the game. As the music progresses towards the end, the tempo dramatically changes to blend into the next track....

"I See Rivers" - Inspired from the Langston Hughes poem entitled "The Negro Speaks of Rivers", Kay goes through life experiences, from spiritual to political, as Nic's uplifting melodies have a hint of nature.

"Tight Eyes" - The first single to be released from this album b/w "Stop By Way", which was only included as a B-Side. The song for the clubs.

"As The Wheel Turns" - Again, Nic's goes from the previous track and blends into this one. Kay details the different people, places and situations he faces as he cruises around town.

"Gunshot" - The first track where Nic adds a very nice reggae touch. Problems with violence, guns and actions people take regulate this track as Kay accomplishes a nice narrative throughout.

"Grand Theft Auto" - Just as hard-hitting as "Blizzard", it's Kay Gone Wild. Police chases, weaving through traffic, being on the run and other cliff-hanging moments run amuck. Please, make sure your seat belts are fastened.

"When You Die" - The conclusion of the previous song smartly brings us forward to the somber lyrics of loved ones trying to cope with the deceased, and the ones who are ready to see the afterlife.

"Dancing With the Stars" - I could see OutKast collaborating with Kay on this song. Spacious and carefree, Kay journeys through the afterlife, discussing love and the wonders beyond.

Nic relentlessly displays his musical spectrum in higher levels on "Time:Line", never sounding dull or boring. Kay, while not on the same caliber as Phonte, still holds his ground as a distinguished story-teller with plenty of metaphors, personal experiences and lessons in life. I'd like to see a "Time:Line 2" in the near future with this talented pair.

Be sure to check out the instrumentals to this album as well. If you're an avid fan of Nic's instrumental work, then you know first-hand it won't be a disappointment.

....and that was a journey through TIME.

The Homey's Top 5

1. "The Lights"
2. "Blizzard"
3. "What We Live"
4. "As The Wheel Turns"
5. "Grand Theft Auto"

As the 1990's post-grunge era was usurped by boy bands and Britney, it seemed for a while that hip-hop might be music's only hope. Evidently, the hip-hop bubble burst. From 2005 to 2006, hip-hop/rap sales collapsed an alarming 21 percent. In fact, no hip-hop/rap album was among the top 10 sellers of the year for the first time in 12 years. Wherefore art thou, hip-hop?

In a commercially-woven "rapestry" fixated on bejeweled, Bentley-driving blingsters with infinitely more money than sense, the genre has - in large part - become more a celebration of bombastic cliché than a collective of sublime creativity. Where NWA and Public Enemy painted groundbreaking, original pictures of an urban reality as yet unseen, today's pseudo-poets do little more than glamorize it for personal gain or product spin-offs, content with marketing to the lowest common denominator. Whew - I could use a Vitamin Water®.

But perhaps not all hope is lost. There is a largely unreported, parallel universe in hip-hop that does occasionally render a glimmer of hope. Living in this altered state are Dutch producer Nicolay and Houston-based MC, Kay. Their collaboration, titled Time:Line charts a semi-autobiographical character arch from life, to death and there-after.

Demonstrating a deft - if not sometimes heavy - hand for blending samples with live instruments, Nicolay lays a rich, musical foundation for Kay's lyrical rhymes. Kay's tone and cadence are at once fluid and assertive without being abrasive; his lyrics personal and vivid, but not above humor and self-deprecation. N & K aren't necessarily breaking any new ground with Time:Line, but what they have assembled is a competent, heartfelt collection that flows easily from start to finish. We do find some of the usual references to urban violence, racial profiling and an affinity for the female species, but none of it plays as gratuitous or bawdy and is buoyantly buoyed by Nicolay's eclectic layers of organic and borrowed beats.

In the end, Time:Line probably won't save music - or hip-hop, for that matter. It does, however, add a voice to those in the genre aspiring to creativity, rather than Cristal.

I'm a fan of Nicolay, so I'm going to cop pretty much anything with his name on it. That being said, Time:Line lives up to expectations in terms of production. Nic doesn't miss a beat. If anything he tightened up his board work since his last outing -- the short but sweet Here. The difference being that there are no meandering tracks and every last one of them is excellently produced.

In terms of production, it's not Nic's best work, but it's still dope. The problem, if you can call it that, is Kay. While he's serviceable over Nicolay's production, he's very by-the-book with it and, as a result, he has trouble holding the attention of this particular listener. I don't know, maybe it's because I prefer hearing Nic's beats without lyrics. His 2005 release, City Lights, Vol. 1.5, is near classic in my book if not a bonafide classic.

Time:Line is a nice listen. It was underwhelming in spots, but it's still purchase worthy. Nicolay is still true to form on the boards and Kay, while coming up short in the charisma department, does manage to hold the album down for the most part. I'd recommend checking out the samples to make sure he's your cup of tea. If he passes the sample test, then you're in for a nice ride.

Standout Tracks: Through The Wind, What We Live, Tight Eyes (My Favorite), Blizzard, and I've Seen Rivers

This is only my second exposure to the up and coming Dutch producer Nicolay. If it weren't for Little Brother's Phonte teaming up with Nicolay on "The Foreign Exchange" album in 2004 (classic material), I would have never paid him any attention. Nicolay has one of the most diverse styles in the game today. When compared to other Justus League producer 9th Wonder, Nicolay's sound runs on a wider spectrum of styles, though is still settling in mostly 70s soul & jazz horn-heavy melodies. Though the inclusion of electric guitars, raggae and excellent keyboard sections adds greatly to the overall production.

Kay is a very good rapper, and adds a matching soulful flow to compliment the production. With that said though, he isn't quite spectacular enough to call this record a classic...as the production over powers his skills. Standout tracks include the guitar driven "Blizzard", the atmospheric "The Lights" with simply soothing background vocals from Nicole Hurst; "Through the Wind" boasts one of Nicolay's most infectious beats and Kay adds some excellent lyrics to match. The horn-filled "What We Live" stands out nicely. "The Gunshot" tackles raggae styled production excellently with the Fu-Schnickens' own Chip Fu making an appearance. "Grand Theft Auto" is also one of my favorites here, which features some of Kay's best lyrics.

On the whole, Nicolay & Kay turn out an excellent full-length virtually free of flaws. In all honestly, Kay is the reason this doesn't get the 5-star rating from me, since Nicolay's production is classically banging throughout. Simply put, Kay is no Phonte. Even still, don't let that deter you from checking out one of the best hip-hop albums of 2008.

I can't even describe how much I enjoyed this album. The beats are incredible, the lyrics are original - Nicolay and Kay make a perfect team. My two favorite songs are "As the Wheel Turns" and "Gunshot", although I loved the whole thing. Highly, highly recommended.

Nicolay out did himself on this one. Its a lot better than the Here ablum.The production is amazing. You wont be disappointed.

BOTTOM LINE: Nicolay is the Betterman from the Netherlands! His musical catalogue is growing more impressive with each CD release. He has an ear for lush sounds, electronics, synth, and dope beats. I thoroughly enjoyed TIME:LINE, (even though I am still spoiled from Foreign Exchange's 'Connected'). The music is amazing. Kay's lyrics are rather esoteric - falls somewhere between rap and spoken word. Nothing he says really stands out, but he flows well over Nics beats. The guests vocals contribute nicely without overshadowing the main star - Nicolay and his amazing sound!

grade:
Beats and Production: A+
Lyrics: B-
Overall: B+

This is an oasis in a Hip Hop desert.
The beats are far more interesting and exciting than 99% of what is happening in Hip Hop these days.
Original melodies and tight beat programming.
Raps are solid, relevant to the beats.
If you feel jaded by the current Hip Hop menu, this is the dish to refresh your palate.

Not many albums are listenable from front to back nowadays. This one is. The combination of Kay and Nicolay is a treat. Highly recommended!

This is a top notch album. The production scheme is incredible, as well as vocals, although some of the 70s influence is not for me.

Some of the tracks are hypnotic. On constant repeat...

A+.