EP review-Sinatra by Vado

by Dan-O

I’ve been doing a lot of traveling recently and getting deep into the mixtapes of the year. Some stand up as glorious and possibly even better than when they came out. Others lose their polish. Sinatra came out earlier in the year and while it was great, everything Vado does is great so I didn’t write about it.

Since Sinatra it’s been a turbulent year for mixtapes. People you count on for good work put out duds. Characters known for exuberance and experimentation barked themselves sore. All the while Sinatra has that fresh money smell.

One of the most satisfying things about any Vado project is how serious he takes every single second. He’s rapping like these bars go into a time capsule. You won’t find a more serious Intro in the business than a Vado Intro. On Sinatra the intro is urgent hard hitting and thoughtful not just laced with mob references but laments about how everyone’s spotlight is dimming.

Sinatra is different because its not just NY goon rap its NY goon rap made for stadiums. These songs are huge. It’s a tight eight track journey that manages to have Rick Ross, French Montana, and Ace Hood guest features (along with production from Cool and Dre). He re-imagines Black Rob’s Whoa so far out of its original form the new variation, Be Like, feels completely his own. It’s a homerun sailing over the wall just like Pimpin’ which utilizes the toughest Jay part of Big Pimpin for the chorus. B Wirks puts together the perfect Vadoization of the original beat; holding onto the big screen quality but slimier.

As cool and vibrant as the music is Sinatra has great old man moments. He gets Rick Ross and French Montana together for Look Me in My Eyes and Vado opens with the line “You never know a man till you play cards with him.” Vado seems to exist floating in some space between now, The Rat Pack, and Bumpy Johnson. His references are never current or hip and he couldn’t care less. The beats on his mixtapes require not just bass but the most strangled emotive soul samples (see: I Need). How strange is it to think that my first reaction to Sinatra was like it represented the outcome of some thousand year old mathematical theory; dope? Sure its dope it’s Vado.

Stream or Download Sinatra below:

http://www.datpiff.com/Vado-Sinatra-mixtape.578959.html