Artist: Mr. Envi’
Album: Point of No Return
Album: Point of No Return
For over a decade now, Mr. Envi’ has been juggling
the responsibilities of running the Southern Stisles record label along with
being a rapper and a producer. His
latest release suggests that his artistic aspirations are reaching beyond the
well-worn borders of Texas, Arkansas and Louisiana. Described as the first in a three-part
series, the Point of No Return E.P.
focuses squarely on Envi’s rhyming capabilities, leaving the production in the
hands of Christopher “Fuol” Vailes and Torrance “Mista T” Brossette. With a small cadre of vocal support of tow,
Mr. Envi’ reaffirms the importance of staying on his grind and how the hustle
never stops, a pair of themes that appears often within his music.
The title track serves as an opening intro, its
instrumental awash in repetitive piano patterns and apocalyptic orchestral
hits. Mr. Envi’s voice rides low
keyboard riffs as he laments the pointlessness in pleasing others and his
determination to make it in spite of the naysayers within earshot. “Where U From” is so bottom heavy that it
should come with its own spinners to accessorize whatever car blasts this
cut. The rumble from the synthesized
horns alone is enough to keep subwoofers vibrating for days on end. Guest vocalist J.B. joins Mr. Envi’ on this
one, monotone singing his way through his verse while wearing neighborhood
pride like medals of honor. As eerie
synth tones waft their way through the track, Envi’ offers a piece of advice
for those from out of town: “Just know your place and everything will be
good.”
“Back It Off” contrasts tough beats with sweet,
syrupy melodies as crunchy snares crackle and pop over sustained bass chords
and glistening electronic tones. Jeramie
of TRT rides shotgun, echoing the conclusions of Mr. Envi’s bars when he’s not
supplying the vocal hook. “Laura”
establishes a classic Southern bounce pattern with endless hi-hats, plastic
claps, and elastic keyboard stabs. Mr.
Envi’ and MD trade lyrics over infectious organ and guitar riffs, dismissing
the hopeless efforts of a guy trying to hold on to a girl who will likely leave
the club with someone else. To drive the
point home, MD asks a rhetorical question during the chorus: “Why
you wanna bring sand to the Sahara?”
Jeremy “Unmasked” Smith contributes some comic
relief for a pair of interludes, appearing as Lil Bernie Mac. While these pieces aren’t exactly necessary,
there’s no denying that Smith certainly has the late comedian’s inflections and
pitch down to a science. However, Mr.
Envi’ ultimately walks away with the best track of the E.P. “Re Up” wins with a low rider rhythm brushed
with warm harmonies and triumphant horn hits.
The kick/snare combination is liable to make anyone nod their head and
sing along to Envi’s catchy chorus.
Breaking down his creative process and work ethic within his verses, he
acknowledges the significance of affiliations and collaborations while still
asking himself what will make him stand out against the competition. Such concerns are likely to be addressed on
the other releases within this series and Point
of No Return makes for a good start to learning more about this artist.
Reviewed by Jason Randall Smith
Rating: 3 stars (out of 5)
