An enveloping hip-hop album from Callum Ford, Slow Progress melds intoxicating beats and vocal precision within themes representing adulthood’s challenges. Based in Southend-on-Sea, England, Ford embraced a DIY approach for the album’s creative process, which spanned three years in the making. He collaborated with producer and multi-instrumentalist Filip Przybyla, with the duo working in a home-based studio and embracing a spontaneous creative output — where many tracks first arose as freestyles. “We wanted to take our time, enjoy the process, and make something that felt real,” Ford explains.
Opening track “Do It Like This” consumes in its steady momentum — traversing from bass-y pulses into a sturdy vocal declaration, exuding aspirations to make an album with those aforementioned “real” qualities — which certainly succeeds. “We abandon our moral values for paying the price,” the vocals continue, excelling into doses of guitar distortion. A dynamic production is on display right away, echoing a classic hip-hop nostalgia alongside touches of rock and soul. Guitars play a prominent role in the beat on “Laid Back (Freestyle)” as well. The one-minute turn grips with its “I’m the real deal!” bravado as swirling guitar work adorns the enthused vocal delivery.
Another highlight, “400 Degrees” is one of the album’s more pop-forward embraces — dazzling with its tender guitars and atmospheric synth tones, while the vocals shift seamlessly between hip-hop suaveness and more expressive R&B soulfulness. “Supernova” is fantastic as well, cautioning “don’t get too close,” prior to a celebratory feeling — yearning to “just let me hold ya,” within a hooky radiance. Slow Progress is a dynamic, melodic success from Callum Ford.
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“Supernova” is also featured in the genre-based, best-of Spotify compilation Emerging Hip-Hop.
We discovered this release via MusoSoup.
