Album Review: Broken Narrative by Elohin Posted September 02, 2020 By MarqusAnthony_NRT, Staff Reviewer
What You Need to Know
Rapper Elohin is a top-notch lyricist, performer, songwriter, speaker, and minister. His new album Broken Narrative is filled with mesmerizing rhymes, ear-catching melodies, well-thought-out concepts and perfectly placed samples and features. This 10-song opus sees Elohin tackling issues of faith, justice, family, childhood, a music career, freedom, love, life, and God. His moniker is pronounced El-Oh-In, which is the phonetic spelling of his name, Lon. This type of wordplay and creativity oozes from this wordsmith as he honestly narrates his tale with transparency, skill and Detroit-bred grit.
What It Sounds Like Broken Narrative was made by a professional rapper. This man is no slouch nor is he new to this. Elohin is a seasoned vet in his prime, excelling in his element. With a soundscape full of jazz, soulful samples, 808s, boom-bap, and modern rap production, Elohin provides plenty of diversity to satiate most hip hop pallets. His strong lyricism abounds and shines even in the midst of powerful guest vocals on tracks like "I'm Sorry," "Movin' On," "I'm Trying," and "Misconception." The album is very musical and full of talent. There are no featured rap verses, and there aren't any real trap beats or bangers, just a lot of smooth music that was put together in a beautiful way. Storytelling is the main focus of this album, and it's executed to perfection. A couple skits add to the depth of the story. The narrative is tight with no filler. Every song could be a single and deserves its own placement in a movie.
Spiritual/Lyrical Highlights Elohin addresses so many topics as he tells his story. Overall one of the primary messages is staying the course and walking in your purpose despite brokenness. No matter what people think of you, God has called you to something greater. Learn from your elders and apply wisdom. Even when you feel misunderstood, keep the faith, keep pushing, keep fighting, keep studying, keep creating, and keep impacting change.
Isaiah 40:31 says, "But those who trust in the LORD will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint."
Best Song on the Record "Misconception" is my favorite. From the saxophone to the bluesy vocals from Coko Butterfli to the lyrical flex and hard bass line, this song is amazing. What a way to bring an album in. This cinematic track is beautiful, and the ending is stunning. Stay the course even when you feel misunderstood. Honor God and be you. Honorable mention to "Movin' On" and "Freedom".
Final Word Don't sleep on Elohin. He has been putting music out at a very high level for years, and this is his best work. Rarely does an artist release an album like this, with a focus on storytelling and no featured verses at all. The writing Elohin puts into this project is to be commended. He isn't clout chasing and trying to buy his way on, but he is just making phenomenal music in his lane. The production on this project absolutely is great. Broken Narrative is one of the best albums you will hear in 2020. Every track is a hit. No misses.