Nicolay and Kay — Time:Line

There is a distinguishing movement in hip-hop now that is both captivating and distinct from its predecessors. Part old school, part new school, this creative collective is pushing the boundaries with a true school sound.

One of them is producer Nicolay (originally from Holland but now resides in Northern Carolina), who has found his muse in blending the influence of past decades of music with the sounds of tomorrow. Teaming up with rapper Kay, their collaborative album Time:Line (released Feb. 12) seeks to provide listeners with this same innovation.

The first track of the album, “Blizzard,” hits an awkward chord as an acoustic guitar carries the feel of the beat. Kay rhymes about his early childhood and the struggle coming up, but both his verses tend to lack true passion. With that said, he picks up on this weakness and corrects it in the latter half of the album.

If the feel-good ‘70s vibe of “Through the Wind” doesn’t get you grooving, then you’ll get lost on this one. Nicolay uses his musical influences nicely here to execute a beat that captures a nostalgic sound for Kay to rap along with. The content of lyricism Kay provides works as he describes a few matches with friendly women, and his line “let your hair down it’s time for the getaway” echoes throughout the song.

Kay’s fulfillment of success is evident on the track “What We Live.” Instead of rhyming about lavish commodities and a stack of c-notes weighing down his pocket, Kay takes a more humble route and explains his aspirations and pleasure in pursuing music. Nicolay’s vibrant production compliments Kay well as he states, “Immaculate, Mr. Kay Jack live rapper / I spit life into syllables / So you got to take it literal / I’m charismatic plus spiritual.” This is definitely one of the more solid recordings on the album.

“Tight Eyes” brings a club vibe to Time:Line that is somewhat murky. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but it is more abstract than the norm. The beat gives a visual of a low-lighted spot with people mixing freely. In essence, it most resembles the cover of Time:Line; it’s dark and exotic with a hint of mystery. Kay’s single verse on the track isn’t stellar by any means, but it gets the job done.

Though it’s one verse short of perfection, “Grand Theft Auto” is the strongest track on the album as it provides all the necessities. Not only does Kay create a blunt picture of a failed escape from the law that is visually in-depth, but Nicolay lays down a horn line that pushes the event like a story. During the pursuit, Kay raps: “Down Scott’s street your boy still running / Hit this bus stop standing still kind of frontin’ like I’m / Going to work, the pigs straight pass me / Jump on a bus no change so I flashed her / 9 millimeter and I tell her to drive / Looking like Keanu Reeves, you best put this piece of s* to light speed / Or I can make your mind bleed / Know my bullets looking mad mean.”

The organ-like synth on “When You Die” lures the struggling lyrics out of Kay as he presents them through the eyes of death. His delivery here is much darker than the rest of the album, and it is a bit surreal to hear this pain when Kay tries to put life into perspective as his last minutes are coming to an end.

“Dancing with the Stars” may bring the album to a close, but it still feels unfinished. Instead of rapping, Kay sings along to the colorful production and his voice isn’t that bad. However, it is surprising that Nicolay and Kay didn’t attempt to finish on a stronger note.

Overall, Time:Line serves as an example that hip-hop doesn’t always have to have the same sounds as yesteryear. At times the chemistry may seem bland and the production stirring, but for their first collaboration album together, Time:Line is a step in the right direction for Nicolay and Kay.