Tiggs Da Author, a singer, songwriter, and producer on the UK music scene who has contributed to successful projects like J Hus “Common Sense”, put out his own successful singles, and featured on other notable music, has finally released his anticipated debut album, “Blame It On The Youts”.
Tiggs last project was his 2019 mixtape “Morefire”, a compilation of laidback feel-good music on which he featured a good number of guest artistes, including African artistes like M.anifest and Kida Kudz.
His mixtape served as an appetizer to buildup anticipation among his audience while he cooked the main course for the release of an album.
Keeping in touch with his African roots, the Tanzanian born music act launches the album by introducing listeners to a native African language at the beginning of the first track, “Enough”.
A medley of instrumentals that sums up an upbeat Afrojazz tune serves as the background settings to which he sings conscious music that affects not only Africa but also different parts of the world.
Delivering such conscious lyrics without breaking off the groovy vibe of the track is the mark of musical mastery, and listeners are sure to enjoy every bit of the track, most especially when the horns take center stage.
The title of the next track, “Zulu Gang”, will make listeners expect a more Afrocentric song as the track begins with a base guitar playing along with low drums and some singing.
Then comes in the one, two, three taps on the snare drum before the familiar snare roll of a reggae beat. Listeners would surely not expect such a surprise. Guitars skanking immediately come in and as usual spice up the reggae beat, it gets so easy to be carried away with this low energetic vibe.
Funky upbeat music is perfect to get listeners moving and Tiggs serves up some on “We Ain’t Scared”. He keeps up with his streak of surprising listeners so far as he once again delivers lyrics on social issues.
It’s a smart move to engage the minds of listeners on sensitive social issues while they are captivated by an electrifying tune.
His lyrics center on a people who are being intentionally kept in mental slavery by an oppressive society:
“You don’t want us to feel alright, you don’t want us to read or write, you don’t want us to seem so wise…
You just want us to lose our minds, you don’t tell us the reason why you don’t want us to dream all night, I don’t understand”.
Tiggs also shows intellectual consciousness in his lyrics by sprinkling in noticeable lines about humans in the rat race, as well as fighting each other in wars:
“Price of everything keeps us running…maybe it’s time we wake up…I don’t know what we are fighting for, what’s a enemy if there ain’t no war”.
He flips the feel of the track with a reduced tempo and different style of delivery accompanied by the prominent sounds of a base guitar, an organ sound, clapping sounds, and tambourines, then switches back to the original tempo to close out a spectacular performance.
“HANDS UP” is a taste of music enjoyed by oldies. Tiggs chops up a retro music vibe, mixes it up with modern lyrics, and serves it up to a younger generation of music listeners. It’s an exciting track for listeners to enjoy and also take a sonic trip back in time.
Unpredictability is an ingredient used on this project to tease the listeners and keep them excited, and it is done perfectly on “Suitcase of Sins”.
The intro is a solemn church sound, so, when considering the sound, title, and intro lyrics, “will I still get to heaven, with this suitcase of sins”, listeners might assume Tiggs would sing a spiritually conscious song.
Surprise, surprise, it’s a heartbreak song. However, its not your regular heartbreak song; it doesn’t have a slow tempo and dreary mood that listeners can sob to because Tiggs switches to an upbeat tempo.
The lyrics of the first verse are catchy as he makes use of word play and even sounds poetic in these lines:
“She ain’t holy but she wearing Christian Dior…I’m just a flower trying to blossom in a garden full of…”
Listeners are bound to fall in love with the fresh and energetic approach used by Tiggs to sing about the heartbreakers.
If listeners had been relaxing while the previous tracks played, then “Just a Little” will have them fighting the urge to get up on their feet, break out some retro dance moves, and shuffle across the room.
A mix of soul and funky tunes made to sound so appealing shows that Tiggs has the versatility to work with a range of different sounds and infuse his style.
“Blame It On The Youts” rolls out cool instrumentals that play at an even-paced tempo. The seamless transition from the previous track to this track will ease listeners into this cool vibe. It’s a track that is perfect for a calm mood, and the infusion of tribal singing at the bridge sounds so soothing, it will get listeners looping the track.
“Brand New” retains a recurring theme on the project so far, and that is Tiggs tapping into retro music. However, the next track, “Chasing Love”, breaks away from any of the previous patterns as Tiggs sings heartfelt lyrics while accompanied by the strings of a solo acoustic guitar.
Nothing beats the smooth feel of Jazz music, and “Thank You” is such a smooth Jazz groove, however, Tiggs infuses some upbeat Afro vibe midway through the track, and it makes the track bang.
Nines features on “Fly Em High”, the last track of the album, and the track is a bop. Right from the start, the feeling that a hard tune is about to drop sets in. Tiggs gives listeners a dessert of hardcore hip-hop after a main course of exquisite music.
The album is without doubt a top project with a variety of sounds that is sure to cater to almost all groups of music listeners. Tiggs took on the task of making top quality music, and made it seem so easy. It makes him stand out as a musician who has mastered his craft.
