Big Cats – What If Doesn’t Get Better

I first got turned on to Big Cats in 2012 with the release of his  For My Mother.  I was previously aware of Big Cats via my son who is a major hip hop head.  I appreciated the ambient musicality of For My Mother. 

What If Doesn’t Get Better, like For My Mother, has a wonderfully narcotic groove.  Big Cats comes from a hip hop pedigree, but there are not any raps.  The LP has instrumentals cuts and  there are vocals on several cuts (some front and center and some are just part of the mix).

The album is a bit hard to label: it has a hip hop, electronica and even a bit of a jazz feel. It is mellow and melancholy.  It can serve as background music, but it is interesting enough for attentive listening.

The LP opens with “What If It Doesn’t Get Better” featuring the vocals of Lydia Liza.  The song is like a slo-mo dance floor jam.

“Crooked Face Dumb Fuck” is a dreamy instrumental.  It has that great drifting off for a nap feel – just the edge of consciousness.  Then it speeds up – like you are a glider in your dreams.

“Nah” is an instrumental with a playful and upbeat feel.

“The Creator Has A Master Plan, Just Kidding We’re Holograms” has a very epic feel.  Close your eyes and you are flying over a gorgeous vista. Near the end the scene changes and then fades out.

Side two opens with “Nevada” featuring the vocals of Gen Divine. The songs swirls and has a nice electronica feel.  This is the “turn it up” song on the album.

“Spaceship Moon” has a nice drifting through space feel.  I can imagine dancing weightless to this slow jam.  It has a nice simmer – just threatening to boil. The song ends with a swirl down the drain.

“I’ve Got Memories Never Earned” features the vocals Eric Mayson.  This is the most conventionally pop song on the album.

The album ends with “The Sons Of God Are Everywhere. Sometimes It Can Be Difficult To Recognize Our Brothers.”  The song opens with a bouncy vibe and then wanders off on an adventure.  It abruptly stops and then fades.  Arguably the coolest cut on the LP.

All of the music on the album has a cinematic feel – if you close your eyes and really listen you can see movies.  The album relaxes the body, yet stimulates the mind. This is dreamy, but not sleepy music.  It is an album that reveals more with each listen – it is richly layered.  Drink it slowly and taste the many flavors – each sip is a bit different.