3 KEYS: I GOT BANDZ FOR THE MOONLANDIN’ w/ Semiratruth
The ‘3 Keys’ series discusses intriguing albums, with three key pieces of commentary from the artists’ themselves!
The way that I first heard of Chicago up-and comer Semiratruth, is directly related to why I started The Rap Music Plug Podcast. After briefly reading strong praise of her from some trusted tastemakers and indie publications, just like that, I was instantly put on to one of the freshest young artists in the game. This human touch, anti-algorithm way to putting you on to music is something I strive to bring you, the audience.
But now back to the main topic of this piece, Semiratruth surely showed me the technical chops that immediately signal to anyone with working ears… this person can RAP rap. That being said, what really turns her into a force to be reckoned with is her artistic vision, which elevates the music to new heights and allows it to resonate with me so much more. This coherent and tangible vision is what really drew me into I GOT BANDZ FOR THE MOONLANDIN’, and Semiratruth as an artist.
1) Given the stylistically explorative nature of this album, was there a particular significance to the space travel motif found on this album?
S: Space represents the unknown for a lot of us. We obviously understand the concept of it, but it's hard for us to fully comprehend it. For all we know , what is beyond space? It is boundless. Also too thinking about the space of the mind. It is also boundless. I think the music compares to that concept of playing with wide-open space. Also, escapism (lol), I often find myself in my head trying to get away! The album follows a Sun Ra interview where he talks about the planet and not being from here and wanting to leave. When sequencing the album I wanted to curate that story a little bit. Escaping to the moon for better. Escaping into space and unknown, but having faith that there is always something better.
Right from the wonderful album artwork, to the spiritual and woozy Sun Ra opening to this album, this theme of space is being cultivated from the get-go. Just as space and our mind is boundless, so is this album. Through the skits and the kind of sound that evolves constantly and rarely sticks to one rigid style, I was very impressed with how Semiratruth was able to execute this concept of space.
All of this being said, a theme can be a great element of an album, but if it has little to no connection to any of the other aspects of the album (beats, rhymes, skits, etc.), the impact diminishes significantly. Luckily for us, Semiratruth weaved this theme into all aspects of this record.
2) This album is insanely colourful. I hear elements of glitch-hop, minimalist soul-sampling, and even a sick high BPM joint that is reminiscent of something from a JWords or Nelson Bandela. How would you characterize the sound that you were aiming for on this album?
S: I'd say that, while creating the songs themselves, I didn't have a specific sound in mind. However, when I sat down and went through all the material, most of my songs had a very “other dimension” sound. But yea, I can't really pinpoint a specific sound I was aiming for. Just sounds that mimicked my emotions. Though all the songs sound like their own world, I more so try my best to curate cohesiveness.
The sound is free-wheeling, where it can go into many different directions with a drop of a dime. We can get a standout track like “Djembe/Shooting Star”, which features a high BPM dance beat at first. Then midway through, it transitions to this really catchy beat with more traditional trap drums, with an infectious swing that is just so fun. From there, the next song features a glitchy and soulful sound immediately after.
Yet, it all seems to just make sense, and flow seamlessly from track to track. As Semiratruth described, since her own emotions were the foundation for the sounds that appeared on this album, no wonder the differing songs possessed such a strong connective tissue. It also didn’t hurt that Semiratruth produced a solid half of these tracks too.
I also see this idea of exploration being communicated through Semiratruth’s lyrics too, as much of this album sees her very transparent about her emotions. Semiratruth effectively conveys this idea of exploration, with lyrics that walk us through the thought-process of a person trying to figure out how to be happy, and how to be free. It makes this album feel quite aspirational, wherein my opinion, Semiratruth caps off these very human emotions featured on this album with the faith that the “cosmos”, or some greater power, will take care of her and do her right.
A clear highlight on this LP is the gorgeous “My Gawd!”, which sees Semiratruth detail her pursuit to the freedom she desires, baring her soul with a very urgent flow that I absolutely loved. This is all delivered too in an incredibly catchy way, with one of the better hooks I’ve heard all year. Speaking of hooks, the following track, “Neva Go, not wit me.”, is a wildly infectious dreamy banger, displaying the strong songwriting chops that Semiratruth possesses.
Finally, the explorative nature of this album is also supported by the LP’s style of short tracks that bring you to many different places in just a brief 23-minute runtime.
3) What was the thought process behind making the tracks on this project short vignette-style, versus more traditional longer-form songs?
S: I think a lot of my projects are based on my train of thought. I’m a Gemini so my brain is always moving fast and at 3 places at once. My songs are short vignette-style because of that. You can look at my songs (or all songs) like a scene in a movie. A short & sweet, but pivotal moment in a grander story. Or like a puzzle piece.
Whether directly or indirectly, the structure of I GOT BANDZ FOR THE MOONLANDIN’ makes the album truly feel like a wild ride through space. Encountering many different stars, asteroids, and other space paraphernalia… but at the end of the day, this album still orbits around its sun, Semiratruth.
Personally, I’ve always been a fan of this style of album, ever since I first pressed play on Madvillainy. However, very short tracks like this certainly can be a detriment, if the rapper isn’t razor-sharp lyrically, or the production becomes a bit too all over the place. That is certainly not the case on I GOT BANDZ FOR THE MOONLANDIN’, since Semiratruth maintains a clear musical and lyrical focus throughout the entirety of this record. Therefore, we get the best of both worlds; tons of variety married with a steady-handed cohesion that makes the album flow naturally.
As my first fulsome impression of Semiratruth, I was wildly impressed with what I heard. It’s the type of project that satisfies on multiple levels, nailing all of the key elements in a record that I typically look for. This is a very wholesome album that makes it hard to stay in a pessimistic mood upon listening! Press play if you’re looking to add a dose of grounded positivity to your day.
Buy I GOT BANDZ FOR THE MOONLANDIN’ here and stream below.
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