Russel Blake’s new album Notorious is full of ideas and emotion. It’s music with purpose from the very first track as Russel isn’t afraid to be playful or experimental when the song calls for it.
The album opens with “Never Give Up”, and it had me thinking we were heading into hip-hop territory from the intro. But then it leans into rock vibes, almost psychedelic in places. The repeated lines “Never give up, never give in” become a kind of mantra. A lot is happening musically, with layers of guitar and effects swirling around Blake’s voice.
The next song, “Model’s Life” is a total shift. The vocal effects here reminded me of Chromeo (one of my favorite bands in the 2010s) in the best way: shiny, synthy, a little cheeky. It’s packed with harmonies and again vocal layers. There’s clearly a lot of care in how it’s put together.
The title track, “Notorious”, feels like the soundtrack to an action movie. Big, cinematic, and loaded with drama, especially in the instrumental. The intro runs a bit long for a regular song, but if this were synced to a film, it’d be right at home. Blake’s vocal is processed again, which seems to be a recurring stylistic choice here.
Later, “A Good Thing” brings us back to something a little more grounded. The guitar and bass here really stand out.
“Liv3 B3fore I Di3” changes the pace. It’s not exactly calm, but the energy pulls inward a bit. The instruments are still busy but the mood is more introspective. The chorus is super catchy and I found myself humming it later without thinking.
Then, “Cry Freedom” hit me like a spoken-word performance set to a video game soundtrack. There’s this racing delivery, almost like he’s trying to get it all out before something cuts him off. It’s imaginative and full of urgency and again the bass is doing a lot of subtle work underneath it all.
“The Chase” is fully instrumental and it’s probably my favorite track. There’s a feeling of tension that builds slowly, something shadowy about it. It reminded me of darker musical theatre or a thriller score.
The closing track, “Electric Church”, goes deeper into experimental territory. There are voices in the background but no real lead vocal. It’s dense and chaotic and for me, a bit too much to fully lock into. That said, it shows that Blake is willing to take risks and explore.
What stood out most across the album is how visually it all plays out. I kept thinking about film scenes, story arcs, characters. Blake’s background as a soloist and composer really comes through and there’s a confidence in how he lets songs stretch or shift unexpectedly.
ENJOY? READ MORE REVIEWS FROM RGM HERE