After tapping into Lexa Gates’ I Am, I can admit, her work never ceases to catch my attention - and for good reason. With that being said, the number one thing that’s important to me when it comes to albums is figuring out its vibe. Where would I listen to this? How would I be feeling? Is it versatile?

So starting this off, I want to get you in the same mindset that I’m in. Let’s create a scene.

I see this album booming from large speakers in a packed, damp underground venue - somewhere downtown. It would be nighttime, but it’s summer so not too chilly. There is a thick fog of a variety of smoke, and everyone is swaying to the beat at a meticulous, rhythmic rate. The album can move you to the streets of the city, or to a rooftop, but the overall experience that it brings to the listener is that it is something that would play in the background while prioritizing other actions.

Now that we’re on the same page, let’s talk about the individual tracks. The songs themselves are very well produced. One can really appreciate the articulation in Gate’s rapping and the prioritization of her authentic voice.

With the praises aside, one thing critics and fans alike have noted on both social media and music magazines like ‘Pitchfork’, this album falls short at feeling unique. The songs are quite repetitive, and at a certain point they start to meld into one another. It feels to me like if lofi, ambient sounds were warped into a rap album (hence why I believe it would make amazing background noise). They are all the types of songs you would Shazam at a warehouse party, and then listen in your car later, and realize you don’t love it as much as you initially thought. 

The overall flow of the entire concept is just so similar from song to song that it’s difficult to make the songs distinctive. 

With all that being said, just because the cadence is the same, doesn’t mean that you can’t have an absolutely amazing listening experience. Personally, the way I went about it was I put the album on my TV, dimmed the lights, and grabbed a little drink to sip on in the meantime. Even my cat loved it! She ended up curling up on the edge and having a lovely 52 minute nap. So there is a lot of beauty this album can bring to your life

My overall favorite track in the album is “Ight” - produced by Billy Lemos and composed by Melinda Dotson. It’s a calming tune and the lyrics are my favorite out of the entire album. “Cause the bills ain’t gon’ pay the bills”.

PERSONAL CURRENT ALBUM RANKING:

1. Ight

2. I Don’t Even Know

3. Estranged

4. Last Day

5. Past It

6. Latency

7. All Work No Play

8. Dead Wrong

9. Change

10. Nothing to Worry About

11. Rest Of My Life

12. Stop Me

13. It Goes On

14. You Don’t Give A Fuck About Me

15. Anointed

16. You’re Better Off

17. From

18. Serious

    I think that this album shows a lot of potential and room for growth for Gates. It feels very uniform for her discography, and the 18 tracks on I Am add enough substance to keep fans happy and excited for more. I look forward to seeing how her career grows, especially when she inevitably steps outside of the box and really locks in with different production styles.