Album Review: Love 4 The Game by Danny Riggs

 

Love 4 The Game

By

Danny Riggs

 

Danny Riggs was last on the back in March this year with his debut album Better Late Than Never. Since that time the Nottingham based emcee has not been sitting back. He has been hard at work crafting the follow up to that debut.

Love 4 The Game looks to be not just a follow up, but something that looks to be riding that debut wave to bigger and better things. The album is some nineteen tracks deep and features a cracking line-up of producers and guest emcees too. Production for the album comes from Danny himself, alongside Peevee, RY4TK, 2 Cold, D4LT, Jon Joy Ano, A Dee Haych, Maugz Made, Mecca83, DJ Pandamonium, Cali Green, Zari on the Beat, Flight Risk, Brynley Martin, KPryme The Yaeger, Aaleyah Brown, and XavrPryme aka XP. The guest emcees lining with Danny are A Dee Haych, Benny Diction, Glad 2 Mecha, Frisco Boogie, Retro, Lorde Stabley, Flight Risk, Wigz, plus an appearance from DJ IKIT to boot.

As this one is nineteen tracks deep, I’m gonna keep the intro short and straight into it…

 

Love 4 The Game kicks off with the Plan Z (Intro) which is produced by PeeVee and Danny. The organ notes on this one give it a sound that reminds me of the old 8bit video games, but the cuts and head nod beat give it a proper boom bap vibe. Length wise, suggests that this is less of an intro and more a full-on track, but it really does serve as an intro to Danny, his style and his new plan to push himself forward. This looks to be at zero hour, and time implement that Plan Z.

That plan is put in motion with King Things, produced by RY4TK, it brings a heavy drumbeat with bass and piano. This gives you a heavy sound that gets your head moving with a slightly dark edge to it, and I say that as that piano note gives it that on edge vibe. Here we find Danny bringing that rap braggadocio vibe, showing that his putting himself on the throne and showing us why he should be there, using wordplay that sees him taking no crap. Some might say that putting yourself at the top and defending that stance is tough, but it you have paid your dues and deserve that place then why not take it and defend it. Next, we have Good Times which is produced by 2Cold who brings a more laid-back sound giving you time to sit back for a bit. Here we see a different side of Danny who takes time away from the heavy side of things. He gives us a look at his thoughts and feelings on the world around him and how some of the most important things and having good times, but not just that, there is also this desire to world around him change and a nod that what he would change should he ever get the chance to do that. D4lt produces Evolution, which keeps the chilled edge with a laid-back beat and organ notes. This one is all about Danny’s journey with the music and how it saved him. It gave him the strength to make his own music, constantly pushing forward with a desire to always better himself with each release.

Wonder is produced by A Dee Haych and sees horns taking the forefront over the beat. The vibe has a thoughtful vibe to it that makes you sit and take note. That thoughtful vibe also runs through the entire track as we find Danny being completely open about his journey. He is open and honest about always seeking to improve his wordplay and flows, but he is also open about things away from music that have had a huge influence on his style. This honesty is something you don’t always see and a true breath of fresh air to see am emcee being so candid. D4LT returns to production for Force Of Nature where he brings a soulful sound that has a hint that G-Funk and gets your head subtlety nodding. This one feels like fun little just for fun style track that just shows a love for the sound and for the art of emceeing. Up next is It’s On!, produced by Jon Joy Ano, it brings us more upbeat sound that has that infectious vibe and gets you moving from the get-go. This one sees Danny get loose on the mic, flipping us a track that lays his wordplay on a plate. This is solid track that shows Danny is always movin’ and improving as an emcee, bringing vocals that you can here and understand, speaking to you instantly.

2042 is the first track of the album with a feature, as A Dee Haych both produces and features alongside Danny. This one has a more modern style beat, with a grime/trap edge to it. Now I might not be a fan of grime or trap, but this one kinda works. There is this nerve-jangling sound that serves to keep you focused through the track and A Dee’s soulful chorus breaks things up too. This one has a vibe that seems to be aimed directly at the haters out there. You really get the feel that Danny is seeking to solidify his place in the scene displaying versatility and he’s doing a pretty good job here. Soldier On brings production from Maugz Made with a sound that takes things down a few notches, buts it’s still a heavy sound, bringing a vibe that is reflective. Danny looks at the state of the world around us, reflecting on history, how society has evolved, or not as the case may be. The message here is that we might not be able to change everything, but we can still move forward with loved ones and friends around us. Next up is the short Breathe (Interlude), produced by Mecca 83, it splits the album into two parts with a soulful instrumental that has some vocal samples just inviting you to breathe in and breath out, just for a minute…

Like I Never Left is produced by my good friend DJ Pandamonium. This one has a wicked sound that has this solid beat mixed with bells, mariachi style guitar and strings that gives this one a deep sound that seems to produce waves from the heart outward. Danny lays down bars that he uses with aplomb to show that he is back, just like he’s never been away. Sometimes you just have to enjoy what you do, and this one demonstrates that fully. It’s now time to Cook It Up with production from Zari On The Beat alongside Danny. This one has beat that is almost softened into the background as the organ notes and bass take the to the forefront with vocal samples that have you almost swaying. This one sees Danny speaking on what it is to cook up vocals in the booth. This is something he takes seriously and focuses on each and every opportunity that comes his way. Now, it is always good to have solid posse style cut on any album, and The World might just be your cup of tea. Produced by Cali Green, it features Benny Diction, Glad 2 Mecha, Frisco Boogie and Retro, alongside Danny Riggs. The sound is upbeat with guitars in the background, giving you the kinda sound that gets you moving and thinking of the summer sun. That feeling is reflected throughout the track as each of the emcees brings a verse that focuses on things that let the good feelings flow from the inside out. It’s all about bringing your own sunshine to the world around you in whatever way works for you.

Excuses features Lorde Stabley, DJ IKIT, and Flight Risk who is also on production here. The sound here has a solid beat with keys, strings and flute, all coming together to bring a vibe that will have you moving from start to finish. This one is all about always putting you best into whatever you do. There are no excuses for no being the best you can be, it’d the only way to get where you are going. Don’t make excuses, learn from your mistakes and come back stronger. Wigz joins Danny for Spotlight, which is produced by Brynley Martin. The guitars are heavy on this one, but with the beat and vocal samples it has sound that brings that live instrumentation vibe that’s gonna get you bouncing. This one is focused on two emcees from NOTTS, and its all about what you do when the spotlight is on you. When the focus is one you, it’s time to show everyone what you do and where you’re from, and here the guys give us a cracking display. So, just remember those five letters. All Hail Lelouch is produced by KPrime The Jaeger who brings us a jazz infused vine of horns and drums that gives a sound that puts you in mind of dimly lit speakeasy as you sit and chill listening to the music while smoke fills the air. This one seems to hint at a dual personality, with that slightly darker persona making its self-known to us. There is a slightly darker edge to the vocals on this one that hits out to the haters. 

Just Being Me is produced by Aaleyah Brown and brings a sound that twists and pulls at your nerves as you listen. This one sees Danny showing that he is just being who he is. This is not about what people chose to see or think they see it’s about the fact that Danny is who he is and that’s it really. Now, before you even realise it, you’re at the penultimate track of the album, which is I Don’t Care. Produced by Xavrpryme aka XP this one has a banging beat that will have you nodding along, and perhaps more. This one is a no holes barred tracks that puts all the suckers and haters in the crosshairs. Using fun little stories and more Danny shows that he has the confidence and the strength to defend himself against all who might take aim at him. Danny rounds off the album with One Day (Outro). This one is produced by Cali Green who brings us an organ note infused sound with a laid-back beat that brings a reflective edge. Danny looks back at the last year or so, thinking about what has transpired and where his journey has taken him. There are also some thoughts about what might be, in the future…

 

It is something to take on a task of reviewing such an extensive album. However, Danny Riggs has given me an album that is surprisingly easy to write to. Now, I am not going say that I nailed everything here, but that’s not the point. The main point is to bring you what I personally felt as I listened.

What I really liked is the fact that Danny is completely honest in saying that he is still honing his craft, still improving his wordplay and flows. There are not a lot of emcees out there who would be open to saying that. We have to be honest and say that there are some out there that do need to work on wordplay and their delivery. But Danny is like yeah, I’m still there working on my craft, and that I have to admire in him.

Love 4 The Game is an album that does see Danny improving on his debut, and he does it not by dropping another ten-track album, no he drops nineteen tracks that show he is not trying to be like someone else. Danny shows that he has his own persona, he is not a fast rapper and he does not use the most detailed and complex wordplay, but what he does do is to have a way of putting his points across very matter-of-factly, and it is refreshing to have someone who just wants to be heard in a way that anyone can enjoy. There are some nice little echoes of his Angelface alter ego which he introduced in Better Late Than Never, see you can spot them too…

Danny also balances this album with plenty of solo tracks that allow him to shine through as an artist in his own right, and I think that is important. He does have a few features on the album, all of which compliment and add their own style to things, be they from the UK or US. But the album is not saturated with features, which I think would take away from what Danny has to offer.

The production values here are all on point. Some of which have works with Danny before on either his debut album or his EP releases, such as Times Change with DJ Pandamonium. There are some diverse ranges of sounds and vibes across the nineteen tracks that really give the listener a lot the feel, but it also helps to show the diversity of Danny as a vocalist who can lend himself to many different styles.

Love 4 The Game is a solid album that shows Danny Riggs love for Hip Hop music and shows the passion he has for creating himself as an emcee that is an individual and not looking be like anyone else, as he continues to hone his craft and walking forward. It shows that Danny Riggs can only continue to demonstrate that the sky is the limit for the emcee from Notts.

Love 4 The Game dropped yesterday, and my opinion is, don’t sleep on this one.

My huge thanks to Danny for letting me bring you my thoughts of the album.

Be seeing ya…

Steve

LINKS

Stream or Buy the album Here:

https://dannyriggs.bandcamp.com/album/love-4-the-game

https://open.spotify.com/album/0AsZWlKJOcnsiZkwZ6uTRT

More links for Danny Riggs:

https://linktr.ee/dannyriggsuk

https://danielrigley.wixsite.com/website/about

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWSKvcfIBtJN7iPWXSdLMSA

https://soundcloud.com/dannyriggsuk