Album Review - Iron Statue by COSM

 

Iron Statue

By

COSM

Album Review

 

I first heard COSM on the 2016 EP he released alongside UK DJ Legend Jabbathakut, Mr Nobody. However, prior to that the Bournemouth emcee has worked with fellow Bournemouth native Cheebo on 2013’s Hollow Sun, Mosik for 2014’s What You Want and Aptitude for 2015’s The Aptitude Test. He has also made a number of critically acclaimed guest appearances, one of those being Specifik’s The Ill Circus album.

He also kills it as a live performer and I have been lucky enough to meet him and to see him perform a number of times at past B-Line Recordings Rope-a-Dope events in Bristol where he has been one of the stand out acts.

In March of 2020 COSM released the highly anticipated Medusa Eye’s EP debut on the Hollow Sun label and produced by DecksTerrortry. This has been quickly followed by the Iron Statue Album which dropped on 6^th August 2020 and Inspired by the Rocky movies, named after the Rocky statue in Philadelphia USA and once again produced by g-man (DecksTerrortry).

From previous releases and live performances this release promised much in terms of quality on both the lyrical and musical fronts. So, let’s see just how much punch the album delivers:

 

With it’s Rocky 3 intro, the album hits from the opening bell with the title track Iron Statue. In a nod to the Rocky movies COSM demonstrates his prowess on the mic as he lyrically dances through the track as nimble as Rocky himself. g-man brings the kinda beat that just has you thinking, Yeah, I’m loving this. Heavy Hip Hop beats and lyrical jabs in round one sets up the album perfectly. Into round 2 with Stone Tablets and this one switches styles to a more Jazz Funk vibe. COSM flips it perfectly on this with a whole host of name drops and references to movies and famous people you will now well. It’s like a cerebral Rosetta Stone helping your mind decode what comes through your ears and that laidback multi-layered musical vibe s just sublime. Round 3 see’s the one single/video from the album, Open Your Eyes, keeping it head nod funky with some sweet jazzy horns and the dreamy voice of El Ay, this one has COSM inviting you to look at the world around you. The message is to look at the day with an open mind and heart as only that way can you truly see what’s around you.

Truth is, unlike an actual boxing match, COSM is not looking for an early knock out punch. He is here to toy with you and take you on the long haul. But, round 4 brings more pace and weight with Mouth of Madness, an unrelenting pounding beat that has your head spinning. COSM flips into fully automatic lyrical mayhem delivery mode, that mixed with g-man’s heavy weight production has you staring into one space, the mouth of madness. We are into round 5 and it’s time to just ease back a little. Problems just drops the punch rate a little as COSM, in his trademark style, explores some of life’s problems. g-man’s production here has the kind of style that puts you in mind of a Gang Starr vibe and the samples just add to that. Going to the halfway point of the album, has round 6 seeing COSM joined by Joker Starr for the tag-team 2 Piece. Back on that Rocky theme we have both emcees utilising their individual styles to great effect as each pound you over and over with bars that has your head spinning again and again. The production matches the lyrical style pound for pound as the beat feels like jab after double jab hitting your ears.

As we move into the second half of the album it’s time to take a bit of a breather in round 7 as the one and only Jabbathakut joins COSM for Tell Me, the beat here is far more on the chilled jazz tip which is a welcome break considering the pace so far and the horns on the chorus really add to that relaxed vibe. All this helps your mind focus on COSM as he takes a look at the way some days feel like a week as we move through the quagmire of life and the cuts from Jabba really add that extra dimention to that whole vibe allowing your mind to melt into track completely. We almost slide into round 8 as the laid-back vibe continues as fellow Bournemouth emcee Reydon joins COSM’s corner for Suede Finish. The whole vibe of the track, with its easy guitar and tubular bells, might be laid back but, there is an edge, and that edge comes from the gritty hardness of the lyrics and the description of south coast life. There is a finesse to the vison created here as you picture the suede finish of the shoes described in the chorus. The bell rings for round 9 and Reflections (The World is Ours) this funk fuelled track see’s the listener taken on an almost dreamy trip through the highs and lows of life and how we often have to fight for the things we want. Not just that it’s how we reflect on these times and how we allow them to mould us and the world around us that is a key aspect to life. It’s time to learn from past mistakes and to create the right future as we walk forward.

The final quarter of the album is before us and taking us there for round 10 is Waterloo Station. The upbeat funk vibe of the track with a nice jazzy horn really gets you moving for this one. A great almost tongue in cheek track that see’s COSM speak on night’s out with the lads, Football, holidays overseas and being ‘English’ mate. Also reminded me of the times passing through this train station to and from daytrips to London to grab the latest Hip Hop essentials. Into the penultimate round, round 11, and it’s Shoebox Money. This one has that straight up boombap feel. The energy of the track has you gearing up for the finish with vibe that puts you in mind of early 70’s movies with a Lalo Schifrin soundtrack. COSM expertly takes us on a journey through saving cash in our shoeboxes so we could hit the shops for the latest trainers, a good time or whatever, this one can take you many places. In fact, it’s like this one is the album’s inevitable KO. The final round is more a recovery round as we are treated to a remix of Open Your Eyes by BIG O. This remix makes you feel like you are just waking from the KO in the last round. A laid-back beat with some chilled piano and flute to create the kinda vibe you just want to sit back to and let COSM’s lyrics float through you conscious.

 

All in all and make no mistake about it, Iron Statue stands toe-to-toe with the best of them. Coming out from the word go bobbing, weaving and jabbing the album is like an audible Hip Hop boxing match where we have COSM and g-man (Decksterrortry), ably assisted by a deft line-up of guests, delivering 12 rounds of polished Hip Hop entertainment. Never standing still or sticking to one style very long it delivers a well-rounded display of lyricism and production that will undoubtedly stand the test of time and be rocking speakers and headphones for a long time yet.

The flow of the album is perfect. Taking you on a journey which switches through styles and pace crafting many differing visions in the head of the listener. The production on the album is superb pumping you up and then letting you ease back in a way that mirrors how a good boxer will control a fight to best suit their approach to an opponent. It really is a great platform for COSM who, for me anyway, is one of the countries most talented and exciting Hip-Hop emcees at this time. His skill at crafting his lyrics with a punchy slick delivery puts him right up there in terms of all-round ability as an emcee.

Iron Statue is, without doubt, a Hip Hop masterclass and masterpiece. There is nothing here not to like. I feel the way that COSM and Deckterrortry have put this album together it really makes for some exciting future prospects and I can’t wait to see what comes next.

Check the links below for the album (if you don’t have it already then grab it) and Open Your Eyes video.

Peace Out,

Steve

Buy the Album on Bandcamp Here: https://g-man.bandcamp.com/

All streaming links Here: https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/cosm/iron-statue-2 

 

Video Links

Open Your Eyes (Big O Remix)