Jansport J – Low

Jansport J’s Low begins with the rude assertion that we oughta wake up and be released from our dream state before we absorb what we are about to hear. What follows is 20 concepts identifying the many different states of human existence. The track titles function as a compass. If we began “Sleep”, we are high in the “Clouds” by album-midpoint, before allowing “A Wake” to bring us back to the sobering reality of modern times. Love, nostalgia, consciousness and artist integrity; these are some of the themes masterfully weaved in and out of Low’s soundscapes. Jansport stitches together carefully selected samples, nuanced drum loops, and pungent soundbites. By the time you realize you are being serenaded by the revelations of one of America’s greatest literary giants, the album’s true concept becomes clear: nobody knows what’s real and what’s not real. But you wake up everyday to try and figure it out anyway. Production credits include Snoop Dogg, Ty Dolla $ign, Kurupt, Dom Kennedy, Hit-Boy, Blu, Freddie Gibbs, Chase N Cashe