' record has dark and sombre undertones, Shakka flips this sentiment by accelerating and cleverly altering the composition and tempo of
. Add Shakka’s upbeat delivery and quirky adlibs and this song is instantly uplifted and firmly placed into the 'feel good' category. Despite the clear alteration of mood, Shakka keeps many of the original lyrics but of course, it wouldn't be true to form if Shakka didn’t add his own wacky lyrical content in some form or fashion:
“I want a day off. Tell him that I’m sick. That my medicine is some tissue and an empty tub of Vicks. I can’t come into work today, I’m getting too much licks...”
If you don’t take to this track straight away, it will definitely grow on you.
Although each song has more or less been completely reworked to make it original in its own right,
'Driving' which you're about to listen to is the sole original track on this mixtape. A piano serves as the only accompaniment to Shakka's mellowed vocals - stripped down to basics - this song comes as a stark contrast to the majority of
The Shakka Crown Affair. The energetic and vibrant Shakka heard throughout the mixtape subsides to reveal a more mellow side of himself, making this fearless artist more endearing in his vulnerability.
'Driving’ is a story of a young man embarking on an arduous journey, baggage in tow. Disregarding the adverse conditions and unsure of how he will reach his destination, he is assured only by the fact that his determination will get him there eventually. A young woman suddenly appears in a car and offers him a lift to his destination - he eagerly accepts her offer and they embark on a journey together and the young singer is even willing to alter his original path just to prolong the time spent with the young woman while she swiftly disregards the possibility that he could actually be a danger to her life. They decide to take the risk and after an uncertain and sometimes turbulent journey, they eventually grind to a halt and venture into their new destination.
“I don’t care where I go, the night’s still young // Long as I’m staying with you I’ve no need to run // We can drive and drive and drive and drive ‘til my pocket runs out of fuel”
Shakka’s eclectic concoction of musical knowledge, experience and musical influences all serve as the diverse marinade in which this mixtape has been birthed in. If The Shakka Crown Affair is an accurate depiction of the artist Shakka wants to be received as, then I rub my hands together in anticipation of what is to come. This multi-layered mixtape provides the listener with a heady mix of unique vocals, humour, bumping basslines and melody.
If you listen carefully, you can hear the theme of travel expertly threaded through this mixtape - Shakka invites us to walk in his ‘Chicken Legs’ then gives the instruction 'Let's Ride'. He goes on to declare that he can chill in his 'Spaceship' before he disappears into the sunset 'Drivin' and whether this was done intentionally or purely by coincidence remains to be seen but if like me, your eardrums have a low tolerance for the Euro-Pop sound over-saturating the airwaves nowadays, this is a journey you MUST take.
On
The Shakka Crown Affair, Shakka casually brushes off expectations by defiantly going against the "generic R&B crooner" mold to give us a fresh perspective. The young singer maintains his British accent and does have the tendency to defiantly sing at the top of his lungs - often leaving me clenching my teeth until he makes that high note (which he always does). Fortunately, this adds to the unique quality of his voice and gives this mixtape an unapologetic rawness.
The intricate harmonies heard throughout this body of work cut through the rawness to make it all-encompassing. This combination contributes to a multi-layered effect that keeps the listener interested in what Shakka has to say. Some of the lyrical content may seem wacky at times but I suppose this gives the listener a deeper insight into the experimental artist that Shakka is... And with that, I leave you with
The Shakka Crown Affair
Download:
Shakka - The Thomas Crown Affair
