ZGTO – A Piece of the Geto
This collaboration between Shigeto and ZelooperZ is attention-grabbing at times, but suffers from a tentative streak.
As its title very subtly hints, A Piece of the Geto is the story of two worlds colliding, marrying the talents of two Detroit-based artists from different sides of the musical tracks: electronic production of Shigeto and rapper and Bruiser Brigade member ZelooperZ. Together, ZGTO are a duo determined to show what can be achieved when people from different backgrounds attempt to rewrite the rules.
Emerging from seemingly disparate genres, it’s easy to imagine how Shigeto and ZelooperZ could have clashed, creating an uneasy mish-mash of their styles. In fact, the opposite is true, and they accommodate each other well. Perhaps a little too well. ZelooperZ’ rhymes are often free-flowing, often weaving between fast bars and clipping his lines deftly, which makes for an attention-grabbing performance.
Sometimes though, it feels like Shigeto takes a back seat to place ZelooperZ more firmly in the limelight. His work has dabbled in toeing the line between dancebale electronica and ambiance in the past, but here his synths sometimes sound muted and the atmosphere muddy. On the moments where he emerges from his shell, such as on Remedy and Whippin, A Piece of the Geto can be a very attention-grabbing record. It’s just a shame their collaboration sometimes seems a little polite and tentative.
Listen to: Remedy, Whippin