After a string of barriers to overcome, rapper, singer, teacher, broadcaster and enigmatic free thinker Karl Nova releases his new album, Delayed But Not Denied, offering a rich flow of empowering material to champion the underdog.
Primarily considered a ‘Gospel artist’, Karl Nova’s fondness for various other genres is evident, hopping and skipping from one style to another but finding his resting place when reciting over mature Hip Hop subtle grooves and Gospel sing-a-longs; “One Day With You” births forth warm, feel good vibes, producing proverbs of wisdom and life’s beauties with “You” fully embracing the Gospel formula, declaring God’s favour in his life.
A Hip Hop traditionalist at heart, the east London jack of all trades opens Delayed… with the old school saluting “Mic Check,” lyrically bouncing over an orchestra of beats and scratches, declaring his mission behind the microphone. Carrying an infectious vibe of feeling free and breaking out of the box, Nova’s verses of faith, freedom and life’s joys are recited with passion.
Overall a fun, enjoyable listen, Karl Nova expresses his creative freedom throughout Delayed But Not Denied, spinning out anecdotes of happiness, frustrations and emancipation for 13-tracks with a balance of beats, riffs and catchy choruses. Take a listen below – and purchase via iTunes and Amazon.
Love this album. It’s Africa high-tech, word to Steve Spacek!
I love the way JBIII and Me-Lo X have shown a respect for hip-hop and R&B, but shaped it into something unique to their worldview and their movement. Looking forward to hearing more.
And the quote “we are privy to a different view of male emotion here” is among the many things I love about this album, and other recent offerings from people like Miguel, Martin Luther, Cody ChesnuTT, etc. I don’t want to jinx it and call it a renaissance, so I’ll just say I hope that we continue to get more reflective, intelligent music like this.