Taking a departure from his last release, the Happy Belated EP, D.C. native Chaz French brings us These Things Take Time, a look back on the struggles in his life but certainly not the focus of this new project. Giving us an introspective look into his life, French addresses the universal by speaking about how we gain strength by overcoming the struggles we face. Battling with depression, homelessness and raising his daughter, French puts a positive spin on the issues he has overcome in this album.
French merges various styles together and creates a mesh of upbeat organ tones compared to more intimate tracks like “2 Good 2 Be True” that feature recorded messages from his mother, really adding a depth to the message of These Things Take Time. The future-bounce style coined by fellow D.C. artist, Goldlink, is present in the works of French, especially in the collaborative track “Ready” that features Goldlink.
The unique mixture of up-tempo beats, offset with lyrics encompassing a confident but humble tone, create a fluent and subtle feeling of relatability which is conveyed throughout the album. French’s ability to integrate those emotions into his music and blend each element together is capturing.
Recommended If You Like: Goldlink, Smino, Taylor Bennett
Recommended Tracks: 3 (IDK), 6 (Ready), 7 (2 Good 2 Be True), 9 (Sometimes)
Do Not Play: None
Written by Caitlyn Porter on 03/11/16