If this album is your first experience of Angel, you'll think of him covered in tats, rocking the Trapstar hoodie and sporting the Nike Air Max - then you'll ready yourself to nod your head to a few gully beats underneath his stories of the struggle. Press play on his debut album and you will hear the sultry sounds of Angel's vocal pouring out your speakers and coating your eardrums.
Not to say he hasn't seen the mean side of the streets, but with this being a more commercial catalouge of his talents he had to replace the slight grittier, not-so-clean-cut side of his music with songs more focused on the struggles...of love, that is. That doesn't mean he didn't keep it real but About Time really is an album to show off Angel's musical capabilities (which are high) as well as appeal to a wider audience.
My favourite aspect of the album in general is the choice of collabs. Personally, this is one of the ways I feel he kept this body of work real. He has used artists that have helped nurture/maintain the originality and rawness of his music - the collaboration with H.I.M (his breddaaa from EARLY) is a display of the strength of the grip Angel has maintained on his roots - despite stretching to the heights of writing with Frank Ocean on the album. I love the link up with George the Poet because I love George the Poet. I think we could have done with a bit more George the Poet because I felt this was the only structure we really got on the album. After listening to Angel's commentary I realised I hadn't clocked the story hidden in this album. But then again this is Angel's body of work, not George's. Plus, as I said, this album wasn't primarily made to tell a story but to get his music out there. If people are interested enough, the commentary tells the story just fine.
For me there aren't tracks to top his previous works Ride Out and Forget About It. Circles In Squares and More Fire are probably my favourite tracks. More Fire has got that energy - goooooood energy and the stronger and more powerful vocals deliver it well. Shakka was the perfect collab for this track helping build that organicity. Circles in Squares, is a different story - so calm. The subtlety and softness in his voice that plays with the ear is perfect. These two tracks come one after the other and not only show that Mr Charles can not only sing but sannnng, but also show his versatility in what he can create as a songwriter/producer too - a true musican.
I was anticipating this album to make movements in the progression of the UK urban music scene. R&B has never really broken into the commercial scene. I wouldn't describe Angel as a typical sweet-boy R&B artist. He's always had a little edgy vibe to him and his sound has always had that street influence. This vibe still vibrates through the album with that fusion of pop. He is not only helping the R&B genre break through the chart, but he has made his own mark by switching it up. He's complied a group of fresh, quality tracks. Some tracks are worthy of a sly shoulder shimmy on the bus while you vibes through your headphones and some are perfect to serenade me with (that's a demand not a hint, Angel).
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