Bob from South - Holy
Reserve LP and/or CD in combination with a shirt with a significant discount.
Bob from the South, the prodigal son who made his name with singles such as 'Karpervissen' and 'Ik Huil Nooit', is back. His new album goes by the prophetic name 'Heilig' and with that the bar for that ever difficult second is immediately set sky-high.
No lack of bravado from Bob from the South, who as a rapper occupies a unique position on indie label Excelsior Recordings, but just like on his eponymous debut album he effortlessly meets expectations. In the creation of 'Heilig' he received help from his companions De Stier from the East and Prins Claus, in his own words his 'faithful servants in the good'.
Once again we hear Bob perform top-notch language acrobatics, with lyrics that are as brilliant as they are inimitable. “The tissue bulges around the bones / Through the kale / Smoked chicken / And a kilo of carrots” he raps on the first single 'Applause', a sign that the self-proclaimed messiah is slowly growing out of his jacket.
On 'Tiny House' Bob shows himself to be surprisingly content with the small happiness: “Itching from the big spaces / I'm nice in the fetal position / Tired of the minibar in my small kitchen / View of foals / Pee here in a drain / Yes, happy here”.
It perfectly symbolizes the paradoxical nature of Bob from the South's artistry; the line between honest, heart-on-the-tongue and absurdism and satire blurs and the listener is drawn into a universe where shepherd Bob leads the flock - don't ask too many questions.
With influences ranging from the Beastie Boys to The Black Keys and Osdorp Posse, Bob from Zuid is an odd duck in the contemporary Dutch hip-hop scene. But it is precisely this idiosyncrasy that has earned him cult status in a relatively short time. Armed with a live band featuring fuzz guitars and organs, he proves himself a master of his craft on this new album as well, treating his disciples to lyrics about rosewood tables, Michel Houellebecq and an inheritance.
'Holy' has a message for us. A message of love and compassion; like a demagogue, Bob takes pity on the listener and embraces him with his musical blanket of love.