#48 - Vic Spencer & August Fanon - Psychological Cheat Sheet 2 REVIEW

2021-04-20

(Go to 0:55 to skip the intro) Psychological Cheat Sheet 2 feels like controlled chaos. August Fanon created a soundscape that was maybe less diverse in terms of the variety of sounds, in comparison to Cheat Sheet 1. But I think that's for the best because the sound here is incredibly focused and consistent, yet still so remarkably textured and engaging the whole time. August honed in on the hazy dusty jazz sound that was present on Cheat Sheet 1, and created a series of...

(Go to 0:55 to skip the intro)

Psychological Cheat Sheet 2 feels like controlled chaos.

August Fanon created a soundscape that was maybe less diverse in terms of the variety of sounds, in comparison to Cheat Sheet 1. But I think that's for the best because the sound here is incredibly focused and consistent, yet still so remarkably textured and engaging the whole time.

August honed in on the hazy dusty jazz sound that was present on Cheat Sheet 1, and created a series of great beats in this vein.

There are less detours away from this dusty jazz sound, unlike the first album in this series, which had some more detours that sort of lost me at times, or were a bit too stark in contrast with the rest of the album. On Cheat Sheet 2, Fanon pushed all the right buttons.

This added focus in the production was similarly found in the lyricism. Surely Vic's colourful multi-faceted personality is still on full display, but I think, especially in comparison with Cheat Sheet 1, Vic's performance strikes a more consistent tone on this latest album.

The tone he strikes here is dark but dry in its humour that makes this album a bit hard to grasp... you don’t necessarily realize at first the real deep honesty he’s giving you. The clever wordplay and punchlines, and even his voice to an extent, add to this idea that his music is light and fun.

He gives me an almost a class clown feeling, where I expect him to just kick dope rhymes and make me laugh. But past the humourous veneer, Vic is very open about the demons he has faced through his life, related to drug abuse and facing mental health challenges head-on.

So moral of the story, don't let the personality and confidence fool you... there are a considerable amount of thought-provoking nuggets of lyricism to be consumed on this album.

RMPP Preferred Cut: "Reciprocate the Love"

Listen to Psychological Cheat Sheet 2 here: https://open.spotify.com/album/2am9gNSyIZs6UEhvmAeIqT?si=yD0UlKqjS3a6Uyz_BkyZDQ

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