Review: Mapei - Hey Hey
By Megan Fair, Copy Chief
[Downtown, 2014]
Rating: 3.5/10
Key Tracks: “Don’t Wait”
Mapei’s new record Hey Hey shows a complete musical transformation for Jacqueline Mapei Cummings. She may have released the Cocoa Butter Diaries EP in 2013 with a hip-hop driven sound, but that sound has been almost entirely tossed out the window on her latest effort. The 45-minute jaunt shows many different sides of Mapei’s vocal range and musical style.
It’s hard to find Mapei’s own distinct style or voice anywhere on the record. Her vocal talent is notable, employing a wide range and smoky rasp juxtaposed with clear purity. She’s a musical chameleon, adjusting her tone and timbre to match each song.
Although this ability to adapt is impressive, Hey Hey lacks a consistent sound as a result. The album is all over the place in terms of style; there are elements of hip-hop inspired pop, indie pop and simple dance music too. There’s no unifying tie, resulting in a collection of isolated singles.
Hey Hey’s single “Don’t Wait” is a great track, save for the somewhat lackluster lyricism. The play on compressed lyrics and unique harmonies tucks sweetly into the very simply backing tracks, mostly composed of snaps and atmospheric synth. This song seems like a track that will be present on MTV reality shows or Girls, which always seem to feature weirdly unknown, palatable pop. This shows off a really great side of Mapei, even featuring a Little Jackie-esque break that showcases Mapei’s hip-hop experience.
There’s a lot of odd disconnect and moments of awkwardness on Hey Hey that disrupt the listening experience and keep it from reaching “Don’t Wait” levels of enjoyment. For example, “As 1” features this terrible bubble sound that ruins the whole track. Take away that awful sound and you have a compelling piece full of delicate samples and intriguing harmonies. Frankly, it’s very hard to appreciate anything when the loudest thing is an annoying preset that persists every other beat for three whole minutes.
“Second to None” shows elements of the conscious hip-hop of Mapei’s past, the intro setting up a story about a broken down block, a man of previous goodness becoming an addict and children starving. The flow feels uncomfortable, but there’s definitely potential in the elements of this track. Unfortunately, the chorus falls victim to poor, unoriginal lyricism.
“The day that I win I’ll be second to none / Some of us die trying / Some of us give up,” raps Mapei. It takes away from the merit-worthy messages on the track.
This isn’t an isolated incident, as lyrics are a real problem on this album. Mapei is stuck on clichés and simple ideas, when her rich voice could lend itself to something infinitely more intimate. Mapei belts, “It’s all there for you / It’s true / Don’t you worry ‘bout a thing my brother / A little love is all it takes / Don’t you worry ‘bout a thing my sister / We’re all waiting for a change,” over the chorus of “Change.” The belting is great but this theme is consistently perpetuated through pop music, so the whole track feels blasé.
Mapei has tremendous potential, but Hey Hey is too varied and simply too unedited to truly showcase her worth. If the next release features more mature, complex lyrics and a distinct style, Mapei could achieve greatness. For now, Hey Hey remains a take-it-or-leave-it record that won’t be remembered for anything besides its single.
