Album Review: Jai Paul - Leak 04-13 (Bait Ones)
Few artists in the modern music industry have been able to escape the incessant spotlight shined upon anyone showing a modicum of talent or potential, but there is likely no musician to come before that could claim both a prominent level of genius and a total disassociation from the public eye to the same degree as English producer Jai Paul. Had his career proceeded in the normal fashion, it is quite possible he would be much more than an unfortunate footnote in the trajectory of modern R&B, especially given the rapturous reception of his first two singles earlier this decade. Sadly, the illegitimate leaking of his unfinished album in 2013 seemed to have sapped all his energy and momentum, between the trauma of having unpolished demos ripped from your hands and the no doubt infuriating conspiracies alleging he leaked the record himself.
In the wake of this derailment, Paul chose to take an indefinite hiatus, and the intervening years have resulted in dead silence from the once-rising star. Out of nowhere, however, the elusive trendsetter has finally seen fit to release a full-length project, albeit in the form of an official release of the previously leaked material alongside a new, separate double single. Leak 04-13 (Bait Ones) is therefore not exactly a new project, but to finally have something substantial from Paul's library widely available, as well as an end to such a lengthy silence, is reassuring at the very least.
The fresh elements of Paul's sound that captivated listeners all those years ago are still present of course, and despite the half decade of innovation since their unofficial release, his idiosyncratic blend of R&B, electropop, grime, and other genre stylings still sounds uncannily futuristic. Despite the drastic differences between the psychedelic trip of Zion Wolf Theme and the D'Angelo-influenced, almost neo-soul slickness of Crush, both tracks are still distinct products of Paul's unique approach, and they (along with everything else here) still sound nearly as forward-thinking as when they were first conceived. That BTSTU and jasmine, the original two singles released before the leak that jump-started Paul's career, are merely on par with much of the other songs is a testament to the record's consistent quality.
Nearly every cut on here, save for the various short and admittedly inane interludes, plays with a brilliant melody or clever song structure, Paul bouncing between his influences to encompass an almost indescribable blend of techniques. The erratic, syncopated beat of 100,000 throws the listener off before blending effortlessly into the synthetic bubbling and catchy hook which almost seems to allude to Paul's innovative style and disappearance from the music industry: "I'll be a hundred thousand light years away". BTSTU is similarly prophetic, its falsetto crooning of "I know I've been gone a long time, but/I'm back and I want what is mine" a disturbingly ominous nod to Paul's eventual reappearance delightfully contrasting with the grimy synth throbbing and tight percussion. Even the less adventurous tracks have their own charm, even if the mellow, bass-heavy Vibin' is more of a relaxing intermission than a fresh development of sound.
The major impediment holding this record back when viewed on its own merits is, of course, the fact that everything on it is preemptively labelled as a demo or 'unfinished'. Unfortunately this context is painfully evident, with even the more coherent tracks here sounding incomplete and poorly mixed. The rough edges would perhaps be more forgivable if the individual tracks didn't suffer from a noticeable lack of polish; Genevieve and All Night are the most prominent examples of moments that, while still exciting, come off as half-formed gestures towards an interesting idea. The sole exception to this half-done aesthetic, Str8 Outta Mumbai, is impossibly captivating, built on samples from a Bollywood film and an unceasing parade of electronic riffs and interjections tied together by Paul's compelling vocal performance and still leaving room for a saxophone line to dance gracefully at the farthest edge of one's hearing. It's a shame not every track is as refined as this, but if anything it only speaks to Paul's undeniable potential.
Given its status as a previously leaked collection of demo tracks, that Leak 04-13 (Bait Ones) is as impressive as it is bears repeating, even if the album is somewhat held back by its deliberately unfinished state. Jai Paul choosing to finally release his stolen work in an official capacity, besides alluding to the possibility of fresh material in the near future, is exciting in that a fresh crop of music aficionados will have the opportunity to be exposed to his work, adding onto the legacy of an already influential artist. Viewed in isolation, the record is an interesting and occasionally incredible collection of unripe concepts; as another piece in the abstract puzzle of Jai Paul's existence, it is an indisputably necessary experience.
7.5/10
Favourite Tracks: Str8 Outta Mumbai, Crush, BTSTU
https://open.spotify.com/album/6Wsai43KQmmKlN29AWlXFr