Tech N9ne’s thirteenth album “Something Else” has finally been released, and those who consider 13 to be an unlucky number might want to rethink their superstitions after listening to this record. The standard edition boasts 21 tracks, busting through with the first track “Straight Out the Gate”, featuring the vocals by Serj Tankian of System of a Down. Other appearences on the album include Kendrick Lamar, Wiz Khalifa, B.o.B, Cee Lo Green and more. Tech N9ne incorporates musical elements from all genres (I’m LOVING every orchestral bit.)
The album is spilt into three sections; Fire, Water, and Earth. The Fire tracks flawlessly marries the genres of rock and hip-hop and pairs them with vivid, dark, and sometimes terrorizing lyrical imagery. “Fragile” is sure to be a popular track, with Kendall Morgan offering soulful vocals and Kendrick Lamar spitting out some real pensive poetry. The Water section is primarily in place to break up the heaviness of the album, club bangers with lyrics that won’t bring up every emotion inside you, unlike the rest of the album. The last section, Earth, is definitely a handful of more personal tracks with the heartfelt “That’s My Kid” and the autobiographical “Meant to Happen”.
Over a complicated sounding production, Tech N9ne comes off as sharp and clean, giving the listener a number of layers to peel back as they experience Something Else. It really is something else.
