The Journey
Within
By
JD
JD is an artist who has featured on my blog a few times the
last couple of years, with 2020’s solo release Chapter Four-Who Am I? and 2020’s Freedom Of Speech and 2021’s Truth Be Told which were both released with
producer Haynesy (aka DJ Cuetips) and now as we move towards the passing of
2022 he returns with his latest project The Journey Within, produced by TOMEK
ZYL MUSIC.
JD has never been one to shy away from speaking his mind and
telling it how it is on a great many topics, especially the injustices he sees
in the world around him. So, you can bet that this release will be no
different.
In recent years JD has moved to a more enlightened off-grid
living, working with Guerrilla Republik UK, and creating the brand of freedom
in Truth Be Told while also creating his own custom Ankh Organite jewellery to
boot.
Now you might not always agree with everything he has to say
but, in an age where people are being underpaid and forced to choose between
eating and keeping warm, it is a time when many will choose to stand up and
speak their minds, now the revolution might not be televised but, you will be
able to hear about it through the voice of JD so, let’s listen to that voice
speak on The Journey Within…
The album begins with Kiss Bye, which features Drax
MC and Michael Black. Guitars and drums are the main sounds bringing a deep
grime infused vibe with some soulful vocals sounds and the soulful chorus. The
message here really seams to focus on the people that meet on our journeys but
may not necessarily stay with. You might call them soul buddies, those who come
into our lives to help teach us certain life lessons before leaving. These are
souls we always stay connected to in some way even if we never see them again
in this life. Guitars once more feature alongside drums on My Own Leader.
The vibe here is one that has you moving but at the same time makes you want to
close your eyes and listen. Here JD focuses on life and the fact that to live
the life that is most suited to you being you, is to be the creator of your own
destiny. No matter where you were born, you can be the one who sees where you
need to be in life, and you are the one who can take you there. Don’t be led by
anyone except yourself, because only you know who you are and only you can
truly lead you to be the greatest expression of who you really are. More
guitars and drums merge once more to bring a more upbeat vibe that seams touch
you on a heart centred level. If I, looks at the moments we move along
our path of life and often meet those who mean a lot too us but, as time goes
by and we evolve on our journey, those others may not, and will seek to keep us
at their level while we elevate our selves to new and higher levels of
spiritual understanding. We realise we have to leave these people behind or
risk being trapped in a place where our growth, as a person is restricted.
No Turning Back, once more features the soulful voice
of Michael Black, the backdrop is a deep vibe of choral vocals, synth notes, guitar,
and drums with a grime edge. With a certain portion of our life behind us we
have made the choices that put us on a certain path and there is that
realisation that we have now come to a point where there is no turning back
from. This is now the path we will walk till the day we transcend from this life;
these are defining moments that show who we are to all those around us, who
will either walk with us or away from us. Organ notes, synths, and drums form
the sound scape for Take Warning, creating a focused vibe. JD speaks
more in depth of his journey and that part of walking that path is as a
warrior. One who forges their own direction and follows no one because those
who follow often get led in the wrong direction and lose control of their
life’s path. Synths and drums combine to create a vibe that is more love
centred. No Stress sees the soulful voice of Anima Mana join JD, for a
track that explores the connection between two people. This is a connection
that is more on another level where two people connect on a spiritual level
more than just a mental or sexual one, it creates a whole different
relationship experience.
Pattern It drops with synths and drums that bring a
more energetic feel to the sound. This one focuses on how its all about keeping
yourself moving and evolving as you move through life. The more you focus on
you and who you are, the more you will be able to focus on how you can make
your life evolve, you will be able to create the life you seek just by evolving
and elevating your mind, Body, and soul. Anima Mana joins JD again on Is It
Possible, a grime inspired vibe of synth, drums, and strings with a heavy
street feel. There is a deep unapologetic feel to this one as it explores the
pointless violence that it such a part of inner-city life. This is something
like a wake-up call to the youth, asking them to look at who is truly losing
and who is winning and profiting from all this. When you take the time to look
deeply into what is behind something you realise that only together can we stop
the pointless loss of life, pain, and suffering. Organ notes and an acoustic
guitar accompany the beat here which sees JD introduce us to Ryan Sanders for Search
Inside. The vibe of this one is like those mariachi stories where you are
listening to two guys opening up about there experiences and you are being
invited to take it all onboard and then ask yourself what you believe but, you
have to use your heart felt intuition to search deep inside yourself to really
find the answers. All I Need drops with a heavy grime vibe but, there is
almost a calmness to the whole vibe of this one. That vibe fits well with track
which speaks on the true love energy that connects two people in all ways and
always. This is the vibe of twin flames meeting and uniting, feeling, and expressing
love energy in its purest form, no matter what you do together or apart,
because twin flames are never truly apart.
The next four tracks all feature the soulful voice of Anima
Mana and so I have group these final four tracks together in one paragraph.
We almost float into the albums title track on the back of
that expression of love. The Journey Within, which also features Michael
Black, has this soulful edge to the beat which has elements of guitar and keys.
The journey through life is as much about the journey we take within ourselves.
It is a very personal and sacred thing and respect for that is an important
thing. All our journeys are different, and this track asks you to reflect on
your own personal journey, to understand what it has taught you and to consider
what it still has to teach you as we never stop learning. Synths, claps, and
drums all combine on Travel On to bring a heavy thoughtful vibe. This
one speaks to me about the journey we are all on and the fact that regardless
of where we think we are going, it is important never to stand still and become
stagnant in our lives. When we stop seeking to become the greatest expression
of who we truly are, is the moment we have given up on ourselves and become the
follower and not the leader. Always walk on, even when you fall, just pick
yourself up and walk on because moving forward is positive energy and that can
take you anywhere. Vibe Right hits with a heavy bass line, flute,
guitar, and synths, the feel of this one really borders on head nod and the
contrast of JD’s rap and Anima’s soulful vocals works so well. This one really
has a message the speaks on keeping things in balance. To keep things in
balance you need to vibe right, use your spiritual side, your intuition, to
work with nature in all it’s forms to only take what you need. The human race
has forgotten to work in harmony with world we live on, we take more than we
need, pollute and disrespect our home and that is not the right vibe. Moving
into the final track of the album, Harmonise & Grow, the sound scape
is mixture of basslines, percussion, soulful vocals and guitars, which merges
into something akin to a modern shamanic vibe. The message here seems to grow
from the previous track, one we learn to vibe right with the planet then we can
begin to harmonise with nature and grow as individuals and as a race. This
prospect is one that faces our race in this moment, as many individuals seek to
Harmonise and grow in their own way it begins to show promise that all is not
lost and that balance can be restored but, what is key is if the rest of the
human race will choose that too…
What is immediately obvious with this album is that it is a
far more personal project. There is a clear progression across the album, and
it really does form a distinct story from one person’s point of view. There is
not anger and bitterness here, instead those energies are channelled in such a
way as to breed positivity from negativity. There is a clear picture of a
spiritual awakening that has prompted a move to a more heart centred focus,
where personal growth and aligning with nature is key. In one way this is so
personal that is almost impossible to really put across what can be felt here
but, there is a deep vibe here that some will instantly get, and others will
find it hard to understand. This is not a conscious rap album but, more of a
spiritually awakened rap album.
TOMEK ZYL MUSIC produces an impressive sound that gets its
inspirations from a great many sources. It primarily has its roots in Rap and
Grime but, along the way you get this feeling that is not trying to be any one
genre but, is in fact only seeking to be its own individual expression. It ebbs
and flows across the fourteen tracks almost effortlessly as it provides the
platform for the vocals to leap out from.
JD really mixes it up here as he switches up his styles and
flows from track to track. His wordplay is solid throughout and you get this
feeling that he is showing a new level of maturity and focus. His subject
matter might not instantly be to everyone’s liking but, there is a deep
personal side to his work here that comes from deep within and with it comes a
desire to see an end to the injustice in the world and an end to the
profiteering and controlling of the masses. Right now, in society there seems
to be little change and so I can’t see JD laying down the mic anytime soon
because the energy for revolution starts deep in the soul and JD has the energy
to stand up and let the Truth Be Told.
I can’t round this review off without mentioning the guest artists.
It was good to be introduced to another upcoming force in rap, that is Ryan
Sanders who shows that he has the potential to go a long way. Anima Mana and
Michael Black both bring some soulful balance to the album that really helps
bring extra depth along the way.
Overall, I found The Journey Within to be a deeply personal
album that spoke from the heart in an attempt to help us visualise a new
future, one where we return to balance with nature and live as one but, in
order to get there, we have to let go of the negative ways and connect with a spiritual
revolution. This album fits in so well with the energy of the whole Glastonbury area too. So, open your minds, be educated, and be inspired But, most
importantly, let the truth be told.
Before I go, there is a couple of points I'd like to make. After speaking with JD about the review there was a couple of differences in my interpretation of two of the tracks and, as I have done before, I just wanted to point this out. The track IF I has this air that it all about a narcissistic relationship However, if you listen close to the final verse, JD reveals that he is actually talking about the government. Yep, I missed this one too as I got so far into the relationship aspect between two people. On NO STRESS the theme is actually a slick verbal misdirection in that the track is all about weed but, written as it it is not! A wicked juxtaposition that got me on this occasion. This just goes to show it always pays to listen, listen and listen again to really get into it and all credit to JD for such an articulate piece of work.
I would also like to thank JD for trusting me to review his work once more.
The Journey Within is available now on digital and USB
from Let The Truth Be Told and more, check the links below for more info.
On that note,
Peace, I’m out…
Steve
LINKS
Get the album for the Official Let The Truth Be Told Website Here:
https://www.officialtruthbetold.com/
Get the album from Bandcamp Here:
https://jdrap.bandcamp.com/album/the-journey-within
VIDEOS
NO STRESS
