When Skinny Pelembe released his début album »Dreaming Is Dead Now« four years ago, people might have wished for more attention for the multi-instrumentalist and his work; both deserve it. Yet his dark, enigmatic sound and his shy, even mysterious artist’s personality probably got a little in the way of his rise to pop stardom. With »Hardly The Same Snake«, the South African who grew up in Doncaster, England, does a few things differently and a lot of things better.
Featuring only nine tracks, the album is very focused and geared towards concentrated song power, and despite its brevity, surprisingly varied: From the chopped hip-hop on the opening track, »Same Eye Colour«, to the post-rock country of the title track and the indie pop hit, »Don’t Be Another«, to the closing chorale, »Secret Hiding Place«, it traverses many a genre from the last 70 years – similarly pitched towards kindred style chameleons like L.A. Salami, King Krule or Sir Was.
Most of all, Skinny Pelembe now trusts his voice and his singing a lot more, confidently placing his baritone at the centre of his songs about racism, farewells and transience. In the end, he succeeds in creating a second work that is as versatile as it is crisp, and one that music critics will no longer be able to easily ignore.
