Tittsworth - 12 Steps

Most of that whole Baltimore club (or “B-more”) sound that the likes of Sinden and Diplo champion bores the shit out of me. Some people say it’s given the general realm of hip-hop something fresh, energetic and exciting to get its laughing gear round, but for me it’s largely been uber-repetitive, poorly-produced, monotonous throwaway drivel with only the occasional memorable or innovative track. Maybe I don’t know enough about it, but from what I’ve been exposed to, I could take it or leave it.
 
I therefore approached Jesse Tittsworth’s (real name) debut album with trepidation and low expectations. However, I finished listening to 12 Steps feeling in a buoyant mood, and that I’d discovered a bit of a gem. See, he’s using B-more (and close-ish relative Miami booty bass) as a general backbone for his sound and attitude, but fusing it with electro, r’n’b (yes), ‘80s pop and bass-heavy music in general in a spicy, captivating fashion. The album is filled with loads of deft little production touches and unusual arrangements, and sounds great throughout – eschewing one of my key gripes about the genre.
 
Broke Ass Nigga with Miami bass legend DJ Assault and Jinxx is a hilarious but still slamming club cut, the antithesis to bling-hop with lyrics like “you got a shoelace I can borrow man?”, while Almond Joy with Michelle Bell’s gorgeous tonesis the best R&B track of recent memory, and could easily crossover into the mainstream given the right push. Here He Comes with Nina Sky sees Tittsworth adapt his bread and butter rhythms to a melancholic, less-straightforward mood, and Tittsworth’s Theme is rousing battle cry that sums up his impressive production skills neatly.
 
It’s generally a party album, but tracks like these elevate it beyond anything quite so straightforward, with beats for your car and BBQ to boot, and plenty of humour. If you like hip-hop and fancy trying something a bit different, this is a must-have.