Example - Playing In The Shadows

Chiming synth notes drop swiftly into a heavy electro beat with opener ‘Skies Don’t Lie’ and the charmingly little soft swizzle to ease the listener into the first 20 seconds is soon discarded as a dubstep format takes over to emphasise the moody rap of Elliot himself. Frankly, it is a poor and easily forgotten beginning. Lyrics are weak and repetitive: “I’m Unorthodox” serves as blatant self-promotion, whilst the proud statement that “[I] wash my own pots, clean my own socks” may be an attempt to claim normality, but comes off as a corny attempt at rhyme, capable from any given ten year old.

Thankfully, this gives way for ‘Stay Awake’ and ‘Changed the Way You Kiss Me’, our first singles. The former is an ingenious infusion of dance and darker drum ‘n’ bass and dubstep. Whilst the expansion into such fields is hardly ground-breaking considering their recent rise in popularity, the mash is crafted with care so that the progression through each influence does not clash into a heavy battle of different basslines. By contrast, the clean electro plucks and whirring drop of the latter reads like an Adele on speed: the emotional heartbreak insinuated in crooning vocals cured by some euphoric music.

Already, the established formula for the album is an attempt to appear relevant: bring the DJ music of the first album to the ‘underground’ scene.

At times, this comes off rather successfully. Highlights include ‘Natural Disaster’, which showcases Example’s talented lyricism as a rapper and songwriter. “My friends say think of the bad things… the fights… it will be easier to walk away, no more sleepless nights” he croons whilst 90s synths and chord progression wind up to a drop so large, it’s as though the CD has changed track. Again, ‘Under The Influence’ achieves a similar spectacular crescendo, growing from an ethereal feel of being drunk.

The unexpected ‘Microphone’ bases its entire melody on a set of piano scales and strings. Despite its classical approach, this anthem in the making claims to be able “to make the whole world hear… no need of microphone” and is seen keeping time with the other dance breaks through bass drum. The lack of synthesiser is a true spark of genius that allows us to dabble in an almost unplugged session of the rapper’s rhymes.

However, the hype of other tracks does not always pan out. ‘The Way’ leaves the listener anticipated a change in beat or pace that never arrives, ‘Wrong In The Head’ sounds like a stereotypical rapper’s embarrassing first dabbles in dance music, tinged with hip hop, and the eponymous ‘Playing in the Shadows’ has the bass whoop over whispy vocals.

In the main, Example’s trouble is attempting to find a subject on which to focus his efforts. Lyrically, the album could have done with a great deal more work so as not to be riddled with clichés of rappers, such as “It’s so much fun to hang out with the bad girls” or “Weather said it’d be nice, but it’s pouring down”. Overall, the album speaks of little more than failed relationships, largely through ignorance or cheating. Piqued with the occasional admission of guilt, the only track of merit as far as words are concerned is the society probing ‘Stay Awake’. For a rapper, it is concerning that there should be such a lack of depth: party music inviting throwaway party lyrics.

Being hailed a pioneer of pop party music with his first album release proper, Example here appears to lag in the hope that vein and idol lyrics will stick when accompanied by sledge hammering beats. But in honesty, even Britney has dabbled in dubstep now: this release is not as experimental as fans had hoped. As dark as the album promised to be, these are hardly shadows of the mainstream pool.

Whilst the invigoration of a rapper using dance and dubstep remains fresh and the offering does have some creditable songs and basslines to entertain and satisfy, the repetitive nature has Example needing to change formula, or indeed “reboot computer”, by the time his third release drops.

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