Album Review: Chance Waters - Infinity (2012 LP)

November 6, 2012 - 6:51pm — Chris Singh

For Chance Waters, 2012 must have been one hell of an exciting ride. The artist formerly known as Phatchance has built up impressive momentum leading up to the release of his latest LP Infinity, by having each of the album’s three singles receive heavy rotation on the airwaves and attracting acclaim from both fans and critics nation-wide. This has led to a twelve track package which shows his undeniable strength as a songwriter and rapper.
The album kicks off with the flawless title track, still playing out as his finest work to date and a testament to his talent; a perfect introduction before we get the more up-beat "Maybe Tomorrow".
The highly successful single was even picked up by National Geographic for their American documentary Doomsday Preppers, and it’s no wonder, with its pleasant melody, Lilian Blue’s soulful voice, and Chance’s tongue-in-cheek raps about the end of the world.
Onto less familiar material with "Conjure up a Fire", bringing the characteristic acoustic beat and female-driven hook, a formula Chance seems to be quite comfortable with. However, rather than coming across as repetitive the song stands out with some nice vocals from Kate Martin and two of the album’s stand-out verses.
Current hit single "Young and Dumb" has the fabulous Bertie Blackman joining Chance for a reckless party-starter and the most jazz-sounding song on offer. This is followed by a short interlude in "Feel Alright", which solidifies Chance’s penchant for clever raps, and while the man isn’t the best singer, his crooning fits well with the retro R&B production.
"Wedding Ring", has Chance, Smiles Again, and Coptic Soldier trading humorous barbs about growing up in the 90s, a far cry from the soppy romantic song I expected from the song’s title. All three mcs bring their A-game and most importantly mold the track into a fun posse cut.
"Neverland" brags a serene flute over hand claps, a sweet acoustic guitar, and a nice drum pattern. While the sung chorus sounds a bit awkward at times, the rapping here is still top notch.
An avant guard reprise of "Infinity" precedes the dramatic "Gotham City", which plays out as one of the LP’s best tracks, taking any traces of a soft acoustic beat away and replacing it with rocking production. This brings a bit of aggression out of Chance as he spits passionately, as if tasked with providing the theme song for a Michael Bay film.

littlest things (Photo credit: Ricardo Metayer)

The album rounds out with "Success", "The Little Things" and "We Left" the latter being a brilliant take on the RuFus hit of the same name. "Success" and "The Little Things" bring us back to Chance’s softer side, both being pleasant and poppy without taking too many risks.
Infinity shows Chance’s growth as an artist with an incredible ability to craft radio-friendly songs without sacrificing quality. With mostly guests handling the choruses, Waters is free to let his poetry in motion shine and prove that he is one of Australia’s brightest and more creative lyricists.
It’s obvious Chance isn’t just content with you finding his tracks to be fun and entertaining, he wants to share his philosophies on life, and he inspires with the depth of his meticulous lyrics.
Reblogged from  HELLO ASIA

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