Melstar gets thrown around in a few directions. As a follow up album to their acclaimed “Romano Hip Hop”, “Represent” seems to be less of a representation and more of an amalgamation designed to tick all the boxes of music genres. The result being an album that doesn’t quite know what it is.
Making use of the Romany folk style and influence – certain tracks do have the upbeat feel that Gipsy CZ refers to in his publicity, whilst others tackle the serious messages Gipsy want to impart. There is plenty of energy in this album though it is thrown about in every direction. I put a tentative head nod towards ‘Dokud dejcham’ with a good piano riff and anthemic chorus.
‘Vecernice’, a sombre and serious track was more of a pop ballad though, and the album continued in this vein verging on Euro pop, long laments and song.
As Radek “Gipsy” Banga, the band's leader says, "the group were trying to come up with a different sound in this album" but in doing so Gipsy CZ have spread themselves too thin and while they try to appease every market they seem to have lost their uniqueness. "Dobry Den" being a case in point and is more indicative of something you’d hear in
a West End musical.
There is plenty of energy in this album though it is thrown about in every direction.
“Represent” as an album is disparate and quite chaotic. If you are a fan of Romany music, you may appreciate this album. However, in attempting to combine Hip Hop, rap, pop, and R&B, the album doesn’t succeed. Instead of creating a different sound, it would be good to see Gipsy CZ focus and further develop their own style.
