Mattanza
By
COSM
The last eighteen months has seen a string of top-quality releases
from COSM via Hollow Sun Records. It all kicked off in March of 2020 with the
Medusa Eyes EP which was then followed in August by Iron Statue, then in March
of this year we saw the release of Aspetta, which saw COSM teaming with UK
Legend Micall Parknsun and now we have Mattanza, which see’s COSM
further exploring his heritage.
Originally this was to be the follow-up to Iron Statue
However, whilst all the tracks for Mattanza were completed in November
of 2020, just needing mixing and mastering, COSM brought Aspetta (sicilian for
‘The Wait’) to g-man at Hollow Sun. Once g-man heard Aspetta he knew that Mattanza
was the perfect follow-up to that, so waiting for Mattanza has given it
it’s perfect place.
Mattanza itself has a couple of meanings here worthy of
note. Mattanza translates as Slaughter and can be traced to similar words in
Spanish and even Arabic. It is used to describe an ancient Phoenician technique
of trapping tuna which was also used in Sicily until 2007 and saw Atlantic blue
fin tuna trapped in nets and beaten to death. Mattanza is also used to describe
the second wars which took place between the late 1970’s to the early 1990’s.
All of this makes you wonder what this will all mean for the album itself.
So, let’s take a walk alongside COSM and see where he takes
us…
First up is the head nod vibe and multi-layered sound of Aiamola,
it opens with an Arabic sounding chant or which acts like this call to your
mind to listen and pay attention to what’s coming. There is a cerebral aspect
to this track which sets up the album perfectly, giving that intense
intellectual depth of wordplay. In Italian Aiamola translates as ‘let’s love
her’ however, it is derived from the Arabic ‘Ai ya Mowla’ which means ‘Oh My
Lord’ and is rhythmical shout used by many walking vendors in Palermo. There is
depth here that seems to draw inspiration from both meanings like standing on
the shoulders of giants as you cast a retrospective eye on life and your
heritage. A heavy but laid-back mix of drums and keys bring us to Bloody
Waters, where we have that connection to the slaughter of the tuna which
would turn the water bloody but, there is also a reflection here in the way we
treat others. It is a sad fact that humans often mistreat each other if not
physically, then through lies, deceit, and the pain of mental and emotional
trauma. We just need to be more loving and caring…
Sometimes you just don’t want to think too much and here COSM brings a track of straight-up bars. The title of Marble Hornets comes from the first line of the track and just like all the wordplay here COSM takes it and flips it to his own ends, mixing up things you might think go together but, he proves you make anything dope, carving his own vision like the ancient carved marble statues that can be found on Sicily. There is no hook on the track just this eclectic mix of violins, piano alongside other strings and keys. We drift back to reality with drums, cymbals and a melodic guitar which gives this a focused feel. Most of us know how hard it can be to pull in a decent paycheck and that is so often harder when you have Mouths To Feed. However, give this a few more listens and you realise there is something deeper here, those mouths are more than that, they are people who crave attention or some something more from others or even yourself. It’s hard out there and you can’t always have fiends when there are some many always wanting…
We get a taste of the mafia connection next as COSM looks at
the larger-than-life figure of Nino Gaggi, former captain of the New
York Gambino family who over saw Roy De Meos ‘Murder Machine’ at the Gemini
Lounge, he was very astute managing to keep himself distanced and alive whilst
others were being locked up or killed. Again, here you will want to listen a
little more deeply and pick up on the imagery that runs throughout as the more
you listen the more it opens your mind to who Nino was, how he lived and
conducted himself. There is a great soundscape here of bass, drums, cymbals,
and string elements that bring a funky vibe that might just have you moving,
even if you’re not immediately aware of it. The mafia connection continues as
we are immersed into the story of La Assassina (The Assassin) someone
who does the dirty work for the crime families, making problems disappear. The
backdrop from g-man is a laid-back funky beat infused with flute and piano
elements giving this one an upbeat vibe almost in complete contrast to the
subject of the story…
On the east coast of Sicily lies the imposing figure of the
active stratovolcano Mt Etna. The head nod beat is guitar heavy and
features some pyroclastic cuts from JabbaThaKut. Here we find COSM seemingly
comparing his life, career, and style to volcano itself. Mostly the volcano is
dormant and smoulders away simply casting a stunning spectacle but, always it
is a threat and can be explosive when least expected. We switch from one view
of reality to another as a big orchestral driven beat has us looking at live
differently, just as one does when looking at life through a Rose Tint.
There are many reasons for this but when young we don’t see the realness of
life and the dangers that come with it. It is only with time, as we grow, things
become clearer to us. It’s like watching a movie, we are transported to another
reality where nothing is real, only to come back to reality as time passes and
the credit roll…
As we move into the penultimate track, we are greeted by
another head nod vibe alongside some woodwind and string notes that most
definitely has you moving. In life there are times when we seek to make
something of our dreams. Sometimes those plans end up as Castles In The Sky.
With little foundations these plans can cause our dreams to crumble and forcing
us to start again. This is not a bad thing as at helps us to build something
better with strong foundations and allowing those dreams to flow forth. The
final track of the album is an up-tempo blend of drums and keys. Once more we have
the mafia connection on Il Lupo. However, this feels like more than just
looking at the mafia wars, it’s the battle of good verses evil and standing
tall against what life throws at you. Ultimately, it’s about which wolf you
feed that decides which path you take through life. An interesting footnote
here is that the first line of the hook is something once said by Lucky Luciano
(the man considered to be the father of modern organized crime in the US).
I highly recommend that you give Aspetta a listen prior to
this one. Why? Because these two albums go hand-in-hand. They could be pages
from the same book or, alternatively, they are two volumes of the same story
that is told from COSM’s viewpoint as he explores his roots and heritage from
the island of Sicily.
All production on Mattanza comes from g-man
(DecksTerror Prod) who skilfully paints these audible pictures that create this
mix of gritty, emotive, and panoramic mental pictures. COSM thar brings these
images to life with his intricate style of complex wordplay that, at times, is
like a cerebral tongue twister. All this blends into the mind of the listener
who then creates their own visions based on the energy of words and music
coming into their awareness. From mafia wars to barbaric fishing practices,
pain, death and ultimate rebirth, this album takes you on trip that hits hard
on many levels from historical facts and our current reality to some just for
the hell of it verbal dexterity. You are entertained every step of the way and it definitely
kicks your adrenaline into high gear.
I’m not sure what else I can say about the album really but,
g-man told me that there was a plan for how this album should sound and boy,
have they nailed it. Everything COSM is putting out with Hollow Sun Records and
g-man is solid Hip Hop. I have found Mattanza to be like those before it
to be highly entertaining and from one of the UK’s most exciting emcees. There
are a few vocal samples in Italian that you might want to get translated if you
fancy it but, this does not detract from the album in anyway, it just adds to
the depth. The album flows perfectly from start to finish. Musically it lifts
you up and is relentless in keeping you focused, it mirrors the tone of the
lyrics to perfection and has you’re mind in constant state of flux as you are
bombarded with some of the most stunning and cleaver wordplay you’re likely to
hear anywhere.
Whatever you do don’t sleep on this one.
Mattanza is available from today exclusively through Hollow Sun
Records on Bandcamp in both digital and a strictly limited run of CDs.
I would like to thank g-man for sending this to me and also
to COSM for giving me some extra information which was invaluable.
So, it’s time for you to go grab the album and for me to be
outta here,
Peace,
Steve.
LINKS
Get Mattanza through Hollow Sun on Bandcamp Here:
https://hollowsunrecords.bandcamp.com/album/mattanza
VIDEOS
Nino Gaggi - Promo
No comments:
Post a Comment