Critic’s Corner: Kato – Ears & Voices

As previously promised aTunes is kicking off the Critic’s Corner section of the site with a review of Kato’s Ears & Voices mixtape.

Kato, a mc/producer representing the ATL, has dropped what ultimately amounts to a very strong resume in the form of a mixtape. Ears & Voices purposefully demonstrates all the aspects of Kato’s musical inclination and exhibits a glimpse of the potential within. I don’t want to say this often but Kato tends to remind me of Mike Shinoda a la Fort Minor, from his voice, delivery, and cadence to his musical choices and execution behind the boards on the production end of the spectrum. Not that it’s a bad thing. Also, as a self proclaimed cinema buff, Kato makes interesting use of various voice overs frequently during the span of the album.

Anyways let’s dive right in.

Big Guns (Move Back) – The song starts off with a screwed intro, then settles into a simple but effective throwback beat reminiscent of the old school boom bap days of Hip Hop. It gets your head nodding and is a real solid way to start off the mixtape.

Winston Smith – Kato used this track in his album teaser/ads and for good reason. It’s easily his most well rounded solo track thus far. There is very little not to like here. Great atmospheric production, well matched verses, good song structure. While this would never be a top 40 hit, it’s definitely a song for the true Hip Hop heads. A must listen.

Clones! – This is a song that I think was executed with mixed results. Kato starts off the track on the right foot stating “Calling all small eyed killer MCs” but the song never really manages to take off from there. My biggest issue is the hook, where I understand what he was going for but the robot voices ultimately become repetitive and distracting. In my opinion, it’s the first of relatively few missteps on the album.

A’Leus – Get It Hot – This is actually a track by A’Leus with Kato behind the boards and with a feature verse. The productions borders between street anthem and mainstream club banger and reminds me (for better or worse) of a more rugged version of Fat Joe & Nelly’s Get It Poppin. That being said, the production is clean and pretty solid. A’Leus and Kato both do a decent job with a verse apiece; however the track really falls apart with its dry, repetitive, inane hook. I can’t stress how much I hate that hook. In their defense, this track seems to be getting some favorable buzz, so it may be more of personal disposition. In short, similar to “Clones!”, the track is a decent song that is marred by it’s annoying hook.

Gone – Another very strong track. Production is similar to “Winston Smith” in ambiance and texture, even making use of voiceovers once again. Thankfully it still manages to distinguish itself by upping the energy a little bit. The James Brown vocal screams help add a little flavor to the beat. In addition Kato himself is in top form delivery wise but that doesn’t stop Mojo Swagger from completely and utterly stealing the show. Remember how Eminem outshined Jay on Renegade? Yea, it’s kinda like that. I didn’t know who Mojo Swagger was before hearing this song but I’m definitely going to remember him now.

I Got You – When I first heard this song, there was something vaguely similar about it. Then I realized it has a very similar vibe and feel to the Root’s “You Got Me”. The influences are apparent, intentional or not. Not that I’m complaining as “You Got Me” is an old favorite of mine and Kato does an admirable job tackling the genre. Levar Thomas’s vocals are smooth and really help set the tone of the track and Kato actually gets (slightly) more personal and strays from his usual backpacker raps. It’s a welcome departure.

Mic Masters – One Shot – I was definitely feeling the southern rock guitar lick that starts off the track and had high hopes for it. This is another song that is actually by another MC but produced by Kato. The beat is very strong. Staccato keys balanced by sweeping strings, it almost has a Dre feel to it. Its unfortunate that such an epic beat was not done justice by it’s MC. Mic Masters isn’t bad per se, but he has one of the most disjointed, choppy flows I’ve ever heard and it really breaks up the track. The hook on the other hand, is stronger but it ultimately can’t save the song from falling dangerously close to forgettable. Honestly if it weren’t for the beat, this track would always get skipped

Yeah, Yeah, Yeah – It’s a good song but not quite as strong as “Gone” or “Winston Smith”. If anything my only complaint is that Kato’s lyrical topics are starting to get repetitive.

Yeah Yeah Yeah (Drumatik remix) – While the original song had a slightly “been there, done that” feel to it, this remix successfully breathes life back into it. Even Kato is more spirited in his delivery. The jazzy piano was a real nice touch. Drumatik did a great job and deserves the props.

Ears & Voices – Once again Kato (with the help of Charlie K) delivers an incredibly strong track. Everything just seemed to click with this one, and with good reason seeing as it’s the title track. The two emcees balance one another exceptionally well as each of their unique styles both manage to ride the beat real smooth. And not to draw on the Mike Shinoda comparisons too often, I swear, if you weren’t paying attention you would think you are listening to a Fort Minor cut. Charlie K sounds a lot like Tak, so all they are missing is a Ryu doppelganger.

Toast to This – Kato and Marcus McFLY spit over a classic beat and hold their own. It’s one of those tracks to listen in the ride when you’re just cruisin, getting from point a to point b.

Nas – I Can (Kato Remix) – Kato’s remix doesn’t ruin the song, it just doesn’t make it any better. The new beat is a little too bright despite the fact that the song is positive to begin with. It’s just too carnival cotton candy sugary sweet.

Dreams – As the only female voice on the entire mixtape, Marlo Lamberti’s neo-soul touch is a welcome one. She adds a Jill Scott like feel to the track reminiscent of Lupe Fiasco’s Daydreamin. This would have been another favorite of mine if it weren’t for Mic Masters choppy verse. Thankfully it isn’t as nearly as distractive as in “One Shot” but it still makes me wish he wasn’t on there at all. At times he reminds me of 50 cent with a choppier version of ma$e’s flow.

Declaration – Kato flexes his lyrical muscle on this track with lines like “his man super mario controlling the pipe”. It just makes you wish he did it more often. Just as the title suggests, Kato is attempting to make a statement with this song, and for the most part he succeeds.

Army of the Pharaohs – Black Christmas (Kato Remix) – I’m not going to say I like this track better than the original, but I will say it’s a pretty welcome alternative. It manages to keep the griminess of the original making haunting use of a sample from Swan Lake.

Rags to Riches (Instrumental) – This is a great instrumental with upbeat usage of old rag-time piano bounce. I’d be interested in seeing what a capable MC could do with this beat.

To The Moon and Back (Instrumental) – I think this is one of Kato’s weaker beats. But I should interject that a weak Kato beat is still a lot stronger than most. The 80’s glam rock guitar is an interesting touch but ultimately make it feel a bit too cheesy.

Tales of Terror (Instrumental) – This one is OK but a bit uninspired. Kind of sounds like it belongs on the soundtrack to some 90’s suspense/thriller. Perhaps that was what he was going for but I feel like these type of beats are a dime a dozen.

Conclusion:
Kato demonstrates a great ear and touch on the production end. Very rarely do his instrumentals disappoint. Lyrically he could stand to broaden his subject matter and experiment with his flow from time to time. His relaxed easy going flow fits in most cases but could use a switch up here and there. The featuring acts are somewhat hit or miss but do offer some welcome variety. Given his potential and natural musical inclination, I can only see Kato moving up from this already strong release. Is Kato a better producer than he is an MC? Arguably yes, but as is, he is already shaping up to be a Hip-Hop tour de force.

Must Listen: Winston Smith, Gone, Yeah Yeah Yeah (Drumatik remix), Ears & Voices

aTunes score: 8/10