Album Review: Locked Down Memoirs by Ken Masters

 

Locked Down Memoirs

By

Ken Masters

 

Locked Down Memoirs is the latest album from Ken Masters. The album was originally released at the end of October 2022 with production from CraftmatiK and artwork from D-Rock.

As this is the first time, I have featured Ken’s solo work on my blog, I felt it appropriate that I feature some of his background as a way to introduce him to those who might not be familiar with him or his work:

Ken Masters is a Rapper / beat producer/ event host / battler/ crate digger and activist. Ken has proudly represented Newcastle and Whitley Bay for many years. A complex character whose deep love of the scene drives his every day and provides sanity and peace in a world that he only wishes the same for. Take a listen to his work and you soon discover that the complexities of life provide much to be discussed in the form of lyrics that are clearly carefully crafted with lyricism that can only be achieved after years and years of effort and practice. At a young age it was Hip Hop that grabbed him and provided a platform for his views and artistic outputs. From his early days throwing shapes as a B-Boy right through to the present as a rapper/producer and host of one of the best B-Boy Jams out there, it’s all in a day’s work. It’s simply what he does. However, for a while Ken has felt a little different to the world that surrounds him and decided to investigate. A diagnosis of Autism provided a further understanding of himself, and in typical fashion Ken took it onboard and looked for the positives, putting them to good use creatively. When you are an activist that craves equality and justice to the level Ken does, you have to have an art form at hand that is diverse and adaptable, in order to correctly get your points across. Not that it’s all politics and worldly issues! Ken’s just as skilled at playfully freestyling, battling and making light-hearted music. Basically, Hip Hop provides a world of opportunities for him. Add to all this Ken’s countless Hip Hop workshops for young people over the years and the impact of his creativity and beliefs is very easy to find.

He has written this album as a chronological narrative of his experiences during days of the pandemic and the lockdowns we were all put through. With that in mind, this really feels like an album that we will all be able to associate with in some way and, with that said, I think the best thing for me to do is get into it, so join me…

Right out the gate you get a real sense for what this is all about. Stay Home begins with BoJo the Clown telling us all the stay at home and to protect each other and the NHS before drums and guitars drop in, alongside some classic samples that give this bomb bap sound at pace. This track see’s Ken exploring a plethora of experiences and information around the lockdowns and the pandemic. From conspiracy theories to mental health, this one is an overview of things, packed with facts, thoughts, and all in between. It ends with Ken giving us the lowdown on the album and telling us how some naivety might have crept into the first couple tracks but, how his knowledge and understanding evolved across time and the album. There is barely enough time to contemplate what was said before heavy guitars, drums, keys, slick samples, and razor-sharp cuts from DJ A.D.S hits. Get Ill sees Ken exploring the situation around how much was made about how people could get ill from covid. There is a lot to be said about how each of us, as individuals, made sense of what was going on around us at the time and here we see things through Kens eyes, noting how the information was affecting him at the time and how he made sense of what was in front of him. Piano and other keys calm the pace and open us to a moment of clarity. Even when the beat drops in it maintains that clarity as Ken takes us on a retrospective with 2020 Visions. Its true that it was a year most of us would like to forget of any number of reasons but, here Ken opens our minds, once more, to all the things that happened, and not just with covid but, beyond. This one really has an air about it that casts the mind back to the good days and those that were so full of pain, we wish we could press the reset button on 2020.

Flute notes and a soulful voice guide us into The Death of 2020, when the beat drops it is tinged with bells and gives us this heavy but thoughtful vibe as Ken drops a deep track looking at all those we lost in 2020. This is a very touching track, you might think its just a roll call and a dedication to everyone, not just the famous names. But it is more than that, to me anyway, it was not just the pandemic that caused those losses, there was murder, accidents, mental health and more, and as someone who lost a daughter to suicide in 2020 and my Father-in-Law early in 2022 (Covid was a factor here), this track hit home hard and with more emotion that normal. So, give this more that just feeling the beat, listen that bit deeper and truly feel the sentiment. Heavy guitar vibes and the voice of Russell Brand from his podcast, discussing the potential origins of the pandemic, drag us out of our thoughtful moment and back into a dark reality on V, where heavy drums and Ken Masters on the cut, direct us to a head nod vibe but, the beat is what is upbeat here. Ken takes us to the edge of the rabbit hole as he looks at thoughts, theories, and conspiracy theories around the pandemic and more. This one really makes you think of what we all went through and were directed to do in order to ‘keep us safe’. Now whether you believed what you were told or whether you made an informed choice to do things differently, this one opens your eyes once more and makes you think, all over again. Piano, Synth, and drums combine for Vax Buygraves (The Drugs Don’t Work). The vibe here has a dark edge, which fits perfectly as Ken explores the darker side of the pandemic. Vaccines, track and trace, and who actually made a profit from the pandemic are all laid bare here. Regardless of which side of the fence you sit on here, there is no denying that the truth is a murky place. There is also a lot of evidence to say that the drugs don’t work and do make things worse, especially with so many people having heart problems following vaccinations. This is a subject you really have to remain open minded on.

Drums and guitars are the basis of The Theatre of Nightmares. The vibe has an upbeat feel but, the subject matter is far from it as Ken takes aim at the powers that be. The government’s handling of the pandemic really turned into some kind of sick theatre show as it used catchy phrases and comedic interludes to get us to do what they wanted, all the while certain people chose to do the opposite, making a mockery of everything and making us question their motives. With large contracts handed to their friends for the purposes of keeping us safe, they made millions while we suffered under their control. Ken takes a further shot at BoJo the Clown on Off Werk, as he focuses on the ex-PM and his flagrant flaunting of the rules when we were being told one thing and he chose to do whatever he wanted. The production here see’s a return to the electronic Hip Hop, Kraftwerk vibe we first heard on Stay Home. A short acappella, which has an almost native tribal vibe, draws us into the next track before the beat drops, full of drums and bass. Real Pandemic sees Ken focus on exactly that one thing, what is the real pandemic here? What has been going on behind closed doors for centuries? What truly infects us all? I’m not going to deep into that as it is best you hear it from Ken but, I have to say, I totally agree with him, and it is up to us to see it for what it is and to change its course.

The penultimate track is the first of a two-part suite. Unity Suite (Part 1) begins with simple percussion with organ notes gradually coming in with drums, this serves to bring more focus to Ken’s words and what he is doing here is to set that focus on things that bring people together. This is the beginning of bringing light to all that has cast shadows across our lives and the soulful vocals continue that vibe inviting us to think on that before the Unity Suite (Part 2) hits with an upbeat vibe of horns, keys, and drums, that immediately makes you wanna get up and get moving. Here Ken elaborates on the fact that we are all one the world over and we are far stronger as one. The powers that be might seek to keep us apart but, unity will ultimately show the truth strength we all have and one that is magnified exponentially when we come together.

It almost seems a daunting prospect to try and sum this up and to give you an over all impression as there is a lot here to dwell on and consider. However, what is apparent is that this might just be one person’s narrative on what has been two years that have changed the world but, it is a hugely important narrative because it shows the progression of how he saw things and how his view of thing changed as time passed. If you were to take Ken’s words and write them down for people to read then a great many people could associate with them, while more and more would be able to associate with a great many of them, even if they did not agree with all of them.

If I just take a step back from how deep this album is, for a second, it is important to understand that the production on this album, from CraftmatiK, perfectly sets the mood of each track to match what Ken Masters has intended with his vocals. Yes, it might be unapologetically Hip Hop at its core but, it also has emotive depth as well which helps Ken’s words to sink in deeper. There is also elements of electro vibes along the way that give that extra dimension to the musical backdrop. Ken’s writing style is complex at times twisting words and drawing in what feels like huge amounts of information in just a few bars and the way he delivers those words, switching between flows and styles is, at times, mesmerising.

Overall, the Locked Down Memoirs is a truly personal and inspiring piece of work. It takes you on a journey that flows so well, touching on the deeply personal, the dark side of control, the hidden truths, and deep-rooted emotions but, it leaves us on a high as it shows that there is sunshine after the dark clouds have passed. For me this is a true triumph in musical expression and one not to be overlooked.

Locked Down Memoirs by Ken Masters is available now.

My thanks to Ken and to Seek The Northener for sending this one to me and extra thanks to Seek for sending the Bio I used at the start (in Italics).

I’m outta here,

Peace,

Steve 

LINKS

Get your copy of the album on Bandcamp here:

https://kenmasters101.bandcamp.com/album/ken-masters-locked-down-memoirs 

VIDEOS

Vax Buygraves (The Drugs Don't Work)