Sonic Space: Angel Haze
A lot of things have happened since Angel Haze last released a full-length album in 2013. In the past two years, Haze has publicly come out as agender and left the record label that helped them put out their last album, “Dirty Gold” (2013).
The break from the record label is evident in Haze’s new album “Back to the Woods” (2015). “Dirty Gold” was polished and surprisingly pop-heavy for an artist who originally rose to fame on the strength of songs such as “Werkin Girls.” It was very much the studio’s album whereas this new effort is quite clearly guided and shaped by Haze. The beats are darker, and the lyrics are more emotionally honest than ever. Many of the feel-good platitudes and hooks from “Dirty Gold” are inverted or eschewed.
“Back to the Woods” features Haze’s characteristic mix of swaggering confidence, social awareness and emotional openness. Haze is at their most honest. Tracks cover issues such as their personal struggles with depression, suicide and abuse. Haze often seems to be exploring the nuanced idea of managing, not necessarily defeating, one’s internal darkness.
From a strictly musical and technical standpoint, “Back to the Woods” represents a return to form for Haze. They sound like a grown-up version of the mixtapes with none of the pop candy coating found in “Dirty Gold.” Tracks such as “Impossible,” “The Wolves” and “Babe Ruthless” all feature intense, thumping beats layered beneath Haze’s rapid, crisp verses.
“Impossible,” which is one of my favourite tracks on the album, has an almost machine gun-esque feeling. The beat and the rapping are both rapid-fire with a staccato edge to them that emphasizes the raw nature of the song and subject matter.
This album isn’t entirely aggressive tracks, however, and Haze shines on some of the more melancholy songs. “Bruises” is purely lyrical, with no rap interludes to break up the consistency of the song. Haze’s voice is surprisingly gentle and pairs well with the soft, ocean-like backtrack. “Moonrise Kingdom” is replete with gently drummed beats and beautiful lyrics. I want an acoustic cover of this song for a coffee shop playlist. The last track on the album, “The Woods,” is one of the more beautiful songs I’ve heard this year. The composition is excellent. A perfectly layered intro drops into a steady beat that provides a great structure for Haze’s emotionally honest lyricism.
Some songs fall in the middle of the spectrum. “Detox” features Haze both rapping and singing. The song is partially a break-up song. Haze recently ended their fairly public relationship, but there is no bitterness, no blame to be found in the track. Haze focuses on what they miss, not what they hate, thereby creating one of the more emotionally stable break-up rap tracks in the past few years.
All of the tracks on this album drip of Haze. This is in no way a studio effort to make an artist more palatable or playable. This is an artist claiming their pain and talent.