Alpha carefully chooses his moments and evolves on 'Chvmeleon' [Album Review]

It is a stylized way to spell 'Chameleon.' If the album portrays anything, it is Alpha's unpredictability and inclination to be more experimental.

The album also drops after his nomination at the 2019 Headies. Since Alpha released his debut album, Half Price, he has made strides both on the scene and behind the scenes. First, I apologize to Alpha, this review should have dropped with the album's release. I played the album 12 days before its release and should have penned a review.

Back to the album, Chvmeleon comes in two sequential sides. The first part is more trap/Hip-Hop/rap while the second part is more afrobeats. Another division is how Alpha made the first 6 songs about introspection, braggadocio, money and vanity while the next eight songs address love, sex and heartbreak.

For example, on 'XO,' Alpha interestingly proclaims himself, "Top 5 in Africa" while 'TongueSong' is an explicit song about cunnilingus and breast canoodling in intricate details. If there's one thing about Alpha, he knows how to tell detailed stories that will make you visualize scenarios. I think Bella Alubo's part on this song is underrated. It also helps that he's good at this on all topics he picks.

Alpha can be proud of what he created. As Boombuzz's Excel Joab noted, it is difficult to top a solid debut album and Half Price was critically acclaimed. In the 2000s, St. Louis rapper, Nelly echoed the same sentiment. He said, "You have your whole life to make your debut album. For your second album, it feels like you have no time..."

What will elude a lot of people on this album is how introspective and personal Alpha gets on songs. On those songs, he also incoporates the appropriate dose of braggadocio. The project is also loaded with scattered doses of humour. But then, most people will be caught in the drum arrangement and production.

The problem with the trap part of Chvmeleon is that the songs are repeatedly promising, but lack that extra bit of melody to take the song into 'greatness' is usually lacking. The beats have melody, but the difference between that 'HundredWays' and a Travis $cott banger is the use of bass riffs for melody.

Asides 'Half Moon,' a 'wash' song that adulates a woman's curves and edges, and which has the perfect amount of melody required, all the other trap songs have this insufficient melody predicament. This line on 'Half Moon,' "The way you move you just might get this bamboo, get you out that bad mood" is merch material.

And can Alpha explain to us why he cut 'Numbers' short? That felt like a Kendrick Lamar rap solo. M.I Abaga's verse on 'PDA' is just so good. As the title intimates, the song is about 'Public display of affection.' Yes, that one.

'SeeHeaven' is like poetic appreciation during 'toasting phase.' Ghost is perfect for this song because nobody does female adulation on wax like him. But then, I question if it would have been better as Track 9. You have to be her man first before you can explore 'PDA.' Equally, I don't think Oxlade should have been featured on that song.

This takes us into the best song on Chvmeleon. It is titled, 'Calm Down' and it features the madness of GoodGirl LA. Word on the street is that LA thrives when you challenge her. If Alpha had known, he wouldn't have told LA that the first version she recorded not good enough. But then, maybe he would have regardless.

The result of LA's anger is one of the best rap-sung collaborations of 2019. Rappers don't often get outclassed, but this is LA's moment. On his own, Alpha allowed LA to shine with his verse delivered in near hushed tones . He addresses infidelity, breach of trust and fake love.

'ThisMoney' is the track that actually needs an Oxlade hook. As good as this song is, Oxlade could have made it single material. Based on the two sequential parts to Chvmeleon both sonically and topically, this writer thinks 'ThisMoney' might have been better as a Track 8. This way, it ushers in the afrobeats sound and ends talk of money, vanity and success.

Then, Chvmeleon can take on topics of love, sex and heartbreak. After 'ThisMoney,' we get the 'Outro' on which Alpha spits some real. In Igbo, he talks about how being good at rapping is only good enough when you're making money. He claims that being good at rapping will only get you compliments when money is more important.

He also calls 'compliments' "rubbish." Honestly, this is refreshing and it explains the more commercial approach to Chvmeleon and why it is named thus. Alpha understands that bars are important, but money is 'importanter.' It's wonderful that he realizes this important fact this early in his career.

Chvmeleon might not taking him straight into mainstream, but because of the album, success now seems more achievable than ever. We might argue that Half Price is better, but Chvmeleon is what Alpha needs.

Did he execute the vision? Oh yes, he does. Is Chvmeleon perfect? No. Is the project enjoyable? Absolutely. Nice one, Alpha. But we cannot call Chvmeleon excellent. Largely, most of the tracks are promising, but without the required 'x factor' to truly be great.

Ratings: /10

• 0-1.9: Flop

• 2.0-3.9: Near fall

• 4.0-5.9: Average

• 6.0-7.9: Victory

• 8.0-10: Champion

Pulse Rating: /10

Tracklist: 1.4/2

Content, Themes and Delivery: 1.6/2

Production: 1.3/2

Enjoyability and Satisfaction: 1.3/2

Execution: 1.4/2