Sy ShacklefordThere’s a certain irony to British humor that only a handful of Americans seem to grasp. Though dryly-packaged, their humor is dripping in sarcasm. Double entendres are also part of the package as well. Having spent 30 years in the rap game, U.K. hip-hop artist Frisco Boogie is also well-versed in his native country’s humor. His latest album, “Lost in the Loophole” is a testament to this. The title and album cover evoke imagery of “time is a flat circle”, popularized by HBO’s True Detective. There’s no repetition in terms of the overall concepts his albums focus on: From the COVID-inspired uncertainty of “C.I.R.C.U.S.” to the positive vibes on “Sunflowers in September” to last year’s “50 to the Cradle” with its focus on time & age, his latest effort’s concept implies both escape and disconnection.
Self-produced as per usual, Frisco starts the album off with the piano-driven “Lost”. Lyrically, Frisco raps on society’s homogeneity and how it’s found itself without mystery in light of nearly everything being easily accessible now. “Same Ol’ Same” lends credence to the aforementioned “True Detective” nod, though Frisco references the film “Groundhog Day” to convey the idea of routine over a playful beat. “Silence” features scratches from DJ GlibStylez, and begins with a spoken word about the benefits of staying quiet which Frisco lyrically expounds on, and laments that “feelings over facts is the new phenomenon” while capping off the track with the song’s message by way of several vocal samples.
“March” begins the album’s mid-section and features the Local Healers. Both the production and hook take on a reggae-inspired sound. An ode to women, Frisco gives the opposite sex their flowers without coming off as pandering. The violins, saxophones, and boom-bap drums on “No Answer” are the canvas for Frisco’s existential questions. The production on “Karma” is head-nodding and jazzy, with lyrical narratives having karma at the center and end:
For the final third of the album, we begin with “Field of Crows”. Frisco uses crows and related imagery for the deathly connotations they bring and then flipping those meanings. “Turmoil in Trenches” has a wistful vibe to its production as Frisco waxes on the act of sitting back and observing. Closing out the album, “One Question”, potentially and ironically an answer to “No Answer”, is very keyboard driven along with a “snake eating its own tale” gist in the lyrics and opening samples. Though lacking the brashness of his early records, Frisco Boogie has grown in style and album topics. Perhaps, because both he and hip-hop celebrated their half-centennials during the release of his last album, it’s made him ask the questions that come with age. Though there’s no doubt in my mind that another Frisco Boogie album is forthcoming, the sole question is what topic will he explore next.