Album Review: George Clanton's 'Ooh Rap I Ya' is an emotional journey analyzing nostalgia and its impact

When I review an album, that is a sign one of my favorite acts is back, or that an album has come out of nowhere to garner a stranglehold over my life. Given that I had not even heard of George Clanton until I heard Ooh Rap I Ya, it should be obvious that this is a case of the latter.

Ooh Rap I Ya is a concept album. It is both a tribute and reflection on the nostalgic, "better" times, the '90s, in this case, an ode to the difficulties of moving on from your childhood and growing up, and at the same time, a stringent reminder that the only way is forward, and that getting stuck in nostalgia is gravely dangerous. In a way, Clanton has crafted an anti-nostalgia album, a blend of old-school tribute sounds (vaporwave, '90s boy band sounds, shoegaze, etc.), while building beyond the typical lyrical and musical tropes of the stylings for a genuine piece of reflective art.

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Everything I Want

Any album's opening track, especially when not a single, has the tough task of summarizing the themes of the album, while still only providing a tease of what is set to happen through the rest of the record. In this case, Everything I Want is an excellent example of a successful intro track. The opening lines themselves tease the regret and melancholy sentiments of the album, "I've got everything that I want, I've got everything that I need, I've got everything but you, and that's all I wanted." Clanton's muted vocal performance barely masks all the emotions bubbling right under the surface. Everything I Want's production emphasizes each element, as the synths and drums go deep, the song starts looping melodies on top of each other for a heavenly blend of regretful nostalgia, and the complex litany of emotions it produces. The depth of the production here is immaculate, with each line playing off another. Expect to see Everything I Want on my end-of-year list. Nonetheless, it is only the beginning...

Justify Your Life

One of three singles from the album, Justify Your Life is the second part of the opening thesis of the album. The layered, deep production for Everything I Want is traded for an explosive synth blend, assisted by a '90s rock riff. It isn't nearly as good, but the song isn't trying to carry the angst of its predecessor, it asks the listeners, begs them, to let the past die, kill it (sorry, but actually kind of really), and start all over to justify your life. Clanton's vocals power over this ode, an ode to providing reason for your life.

Punching Down

Punching Down acts as almost a flashback for the story of Ooh Rap I Ya, showcasing an image of a younger and more disturbed individual, perhaps based on Clanton. The singer makes fun of an individual. There is certainly a rage in his performance, though his actions are frequently called out in a way only the singer doesn't realize, especially when the individual he is punching down almost starts crying in public. Given these themes, the synth work here is claustrophobic and aggressive. It feels angry and unstable. Like any bout of anger, regret is all that can follow.

I Been Young

The album's masterpiece and perhaps the best song of the year so far, I Been Young is a meditation on the urge to accept the failings of the past and move forward. For a song so progressive in its ideals, it certainly borrows a lot from yesteryear. The composition of I Been Young blends Savage Garden, Backstreet Boys, and '90s house production with a hefty, hefty dose of Tears for Fears. Packaging all this angst and trauma is Clanton's vocal performance. He alternates between a breathy, raspy sound and an ethereal, anthemic refrain that truly sounds like Curt Smith and Roland Orzabal at their prime.

I Been Young is an immaculate brew of the basics of every element that makes Ooh Rap I Ya so intriguing. The melody is anthemic and soaring, and the production is layered and classy, blending trip-hop and many other '90s elements. The central element, however, is the lyrical themes. Clanton notes that he was young, and he now is "old enough to say sorry, owning up to things I can't undo." Owning up to the past and moving on is the key theme of I Been Young, with Clanton constantly telling the listener, "Can't you see how life is blinding you?" George Clanton begs listeners to not be stuck in the past and to move forward. I Been Young works in many ways, coming together to create an instant highlight.

You Hold the Key and I Found It

The opening synth flute of You Hold the Key and I Found It reminds me of classical Indian flute performances, particularly of the bansoori. It is dizzying and stunning, which makes it a tad bit disappointing it rarely appears on the track after the introduction. Nonetheless, the surging, burgeoning, and slow-moving electronic groove is instantly addictive. This is also the point where the album starts focusing more on instrumentals (You Hold the Key is nearly a pure instrumental) to somewhat mixed results.

Vapor King/SubReal

After the somewhat disappointing You Hold the Key and I Found It, the double track of Vapor King and SubReal, acting as a single record, is a welcome bout of experimentation. The one line, where Clanton asserts his control over the vaporwave genre, paired with a haunting, almost scary instrumental in Vapor King is fantastic. The deep vocal sample is great, especially three minutes into the record when SubReal begins. The production steps up into a strange psychotic blend of shoegaze and vaporwave, with the same sample of Vapor King anchoring the track. Vapor King may be slow, but it is more than worth the eventual SubReal.

F.U.M.L. Ft. Negative Gemini

Working with his label's co-owner and his girlfriend, Neggy Gemmy AKA Negative Gemini, F.U.M.L. is the third single of the album, and a return to the poppier, more lyrical sound from the first half of the album. The hazy vocals and instrumentals make this the auditory pair with Justify Your Life. The song sees Clanton note that he has ruined his life, but attempting to move on from his lover to fix both of their lives. The sentiment is effective, and it acts as a nice break in Ooh Rap I Ya, even if I believe it would have worked better if its order in the tracklist was switched with Justify Your Life. The explosive synths near the end are completely worth your time, however.

Ooh Rap I Ya

For the final two tracks of Ooh Rap I Ya, George Clanton returns to the production-heavy sound from Vapor King/SubReal, enveloping the listener into his sonic world. Minus the slightly confusing title phrasing, Ooh Rap I Ya is about seeking something more in life, and feeling that everything is going nowhere. From Clanton's urgent delivery, the in-flux shoegaze production, and the clever lyricism, Ooh Rap I Ya sounds like the beginning of a new story, rather than just the end of an old one. Life still goes on, and you have a chance to find something, anything to guide you beyond. It would be a great album closer, but Clanton has one more surprise under his sleeve.

For You, I Will Ft. Hatchie

While I still believe the soft nostalgia of I Been Young is superior, For You, I Will is the moment Ooh Rap I Ya has been building towards from the very start. An enigmatic reflection taking shoegaze, vaporwave, chillwave, rock, '90s pop and more all to their very extreme. From its honest dictation of doing anything for somebody, delivered vaguely and enigmatically, For You, I Will promises to be an experience. From the ascending choirs to the menacing production, For You, I Will is both heavenly and grounded. It is expressive, immaculately produced, and heart-wrenchingly earnest. Even with no words, Clanton's emotions are felt through every single beat of the song. Make no mistake, For You, I Will, is a future classic.

Overall Rating: 8.7/10

I mean, what do I even say? Emotional, personal, and yet engagingly written, Ooh Rap I Ya is perhaps the most sincere album of the chronically online variety ever. It is beautiful, earnest, and amazing. It is perhaps my favorite album of the year so far, and, if your taste is anything like mine, a must-listen.

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