(Self-released, digital)
To abuse a cliché, former Burlingtonian Freddie Losambe is “criminally slept on.” That’s a haggard phrase referring to great artists who are neglected despite their prolific talent. Losambe is a producer, rapper, singer and multi-instrumentalist whose catalog displays huge range and superb, thoughtful writing — yet he seldom gets the acclaim he deserves.
I’d like to say his latest project, daydreams & folly, will change all that, but it probably won’t. The EP is a follow-up to last year’s Estates of the Realm, Losambe’s proper debut album on local hip-hop imprint Equal Eyes Records. Just like his new offering, it was ambitious, refined and full of brilliant songs. It was also clearly the work of a grown, married man, devoid of both the brash arrogance and emotional insecurity that define the youth culture of rap music.
Perhaps that’s the problem — you know, to the extent that could be considered a problem at all. There’s also the fact that Losambe is an exceptionally literate MC, more likely to reference novels or philosophers than Rakim or Jay-Z.
Consider the framing of daydreams & folly: a collection of songs inspired by the Miguel de Cervantes classic Don Quixote. That may not sound like a promising pitch, but, remarkably, this rap album based on a book from the 1600s is raw, urgently relevant stuff.
The album opens with “The Mad Knight,” a catchy, shifting kaleidoscope of perspectives on the meaning of manhood. Sonically and lyrically, it sets the tone for the whole project. Every track is bold and funky, as Losambe seeks to navigate the virtues and vices of masculinity. Obviously, this is fertile ground, and there is a lot to unpack. The rapper is equal to the task, weaving a tapestry of personal experience, classic archetypes and more than a few Biblical allegories.
The highlight of that journey is “Chivalry’s Death,” a collaboration with Burlington rapper FOZ. Over a lush bed of loops, the two offer up an allegorical portrait of how even deeply broken men can redeem themselves — or, at the very least, find some peace. The intricacy of the wordplay kept me coming back. But, hell, that was true for every song here.
It’s a short EP, just over 10 minutes in all. But daydreams & folly is so densely packed with vivid ideas that it sticks with you for far longer. Losambe often employs the cadence and passion of a preacher, but there are no straightforward sermons here, no easy answers. That ambiguity is a real asset when exploring such dangerous terrain.
Losambe may never have a breakthrough project, but daydreams & folly embodies his slow-burn approach. He makes thematic, uncompromising art, and every new release brings more fans into the fold to discover his expansive body of work. For listeners who appreciate grown-up rap, Losambe is simply a treasure. Get hip.
daydreams & folly is available on Soundcloud.
This article appears in Feb 1-7, 2023.
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