Trading Dark Energy for a Masterful Balance of Beats

Jamal Gasol out of NY is an artist that popped up on my radar earlier this year with “You Not Like That,” which I liked a lot. Success II Society is his latest release, and it’s noticeable the waves Jamal has been making. It’s not just me; people around me have taken notice without me saying anything. So, I had to make sure I took the time to dive into this project and offer my thoughts on this next step from this rising star.

Starting with “Respectfully,” that’s exactly the type of song I love and think Jamal Gasol sounds amazing over. I appreciate that he doesn’t overdo the sound and keeps a wide variety, but “Respectfully” is a certified one. “Life Is A Gamble” is maybe my second favorite song here; the vibe from the beat is great, and Jamal excels on these feel-good sounding records.

“Revealed” and especially “Shine” are both good songs, but “Guidance” is the next track that was a clear standout. With the flute flowing along into the horns behind the verses, the beat is beautiful, and Jamal glows on the track. The three tracks I mentioned are my favorites, but you can’t go wrong with anything on this short release from Jamal Gasol.

Similarly to “You Not Like That,” I still wish Jamal would lean just a bit more into the darker sound, but I think this project had a better balance overall. And it’s not that the beats were bad on that last project, but I felt like these beats were a level up or just fit Jamal better, personally. He’s an artist that’s been grinding and clearly winning people over. I’m definitely looking forward to what’s next from Jamal Gasol.

Standout Tracks: “Respectfully,” “Life Is A Gamble,” and “Guidance”

Album Rating: 👑👑👑👑👑👑👑👑 (8/10)