After quite a bit of anticipation, M.I.A. prodigy Rye Rye has finally released her debut album Go! Pop! Bang! and we recently gave it a few spins. I'm usually not a big fan of rap or hip hop, but I have to say that the tracks on Go! Pop! Bang! strike an incredible balance of quick-tongued rhymes, big beats and dance pop drive.
The opening two tracks, Drop and Holla Holla offer up a big, brash, fun introduction to the young hip hop diva; they're loud, in your face and dance floor ready and serve as a great introduction to the album. DNA was a pleasant surprise; the first time I listened to it I couldn't believe that it was Porcelain Black (I'll keep my opinion of her to myself) singing along with Rye Rye. DNA might be one of my favorite tracks on the album; another dance floor ready track, this song is more pop oriented and, like many of the other tracks on the album, serves as a great rap infused pop track for those of us who simply can't stand whatever Nicki Minaj is pumping out these days.
Other tracks like Crazy Bitch, Sunshine and Hotter slow the pace down a little bit and offer up a more laid back, fun feel to them with features from Akon and M.I.A. respectively, while Hotter serves up a big, dirty bass line and the fast paced rapping Rye Rye is becoming known for. Boom Boom is definitely another album highlight; I usually don't like songs that overtly sample older songs, but the sample of Boom, Boom, Boom, Boom! by Vengaboys works surprisingly well with her youthful sounding vocals and witty rhymes.
M.I.A. makes another appearance on Better Than You, another mid-tempo rap track sampling Anything You Can Do I Can Do Better. Not a bad song, but it feels like a bit of a filler. Without a doubt my favorite track on the album is the R3HAB remix version of Never Will Be Mine, a track which Robyn is featured on. It's a bit of a strange combination, but it works incredibly well on this power pop dance track. The last two tracks, Dance and Shake Twist Drop end the album on a high note; both have a marching band sound quite similar to 4 Minutes by Madonna and Justin Timberlake.
Overall, Go! Pop! Bang! is a delightfully fun debut album that serves as a fun escape from reality and offers up a slew of catchy dance floor ready tracks that will undoubtedly have you going, popping and bangng til the early hours of the morning. Without a doubt a strong debut from an artist you'll want to keep your eye on. Go! Pop! Bang! is available now on iTunes.
GO! POP! BANG!: 7.5/10