True sky production is so unique and not the same as other projects you mentioned

Which track on True Sky doesn't follow the formula of a short, static loop?

Not saying the production or album is bad by any means - Ocean Hue Hours/Heavy Sigh is some of the best tracks Akai's ever made imo. But its not pushing Akai anywhere he hasn't already explored with Iblss.

I agree at least though that compared to these singles and As Above As Below, the production on True Sky was at times at least sonically more adventurous.

bruh sry but are you literally saying a hip hop producer using loops makes every beat somewhat similar? it's about what is looped lol, the textures, the sound, the sources, also the way it loops and locks into a groove...

As Above was classic soul chops, on True Sky I feel like some songs didn't even use samples? Def got very distinct sound and drums separating it from the others. We do have SOS credits btw, on there it's piano/jazz loops...

I mean you got a point that most of his beats are very minimal/ completely or almost completely loop-based, but imo that simplicity and elegance is exactly what makes him such an amazing producer. The way he does it doesn't exhaust itself at all so far. It's part of his serene aesthetic, makes you calm, reflect and automatically pay more attention to the words spoken

Ka production usually works just like this, but in comparison I think Navy's loops are usually more imaginative tbh

like who loops like this, he always finds rly weird pockets often with seemingly random bits of instrumentation thrown in most other producers would try to remove, when there's drums his loops usually create very odd but wild rhythms, when there's no drums like here other sounds like this electric guitar(?) become percussive doing the same thing

not rarely sounds lowkey glitch-y, feel like his style was pretty influential tbh

I don’t really get as excited for these projects anymore cause I know what they’re gonna sound like before I hit play. Not to say they’re bad or anything, but I just wish they’d go harder production wise. Also bring drums back

like it's honestly confusing to me to complain about Navy relying on (being able to rely on) loops when what he does with it is so creative

will always be my favorite sage beat

this is written as a passionate defense not an attack @DwindlingSun lol not sure the tone translates correctly

wow i didnt know sage produced the bends lmfao this f***er so talented bro

goat s***, Navy x Siifu tape soon hopefully

I see what @DwindlingSun is saying in that one is never really shocked by a Navy beat. We all know his wheelhouse pretty well at this point.

But I agree with you that he has a pretty wide bag these days:

navy's reprise out now

Exactly! qNavy switched it up probably to combat this exact criticism

fr he knew what he was doing when he dropped ritual as the single lmao

I wouldn't mind him getting back into that Azucar or Mittrom bag doing some wilder more experimental chops again, hoping he comes through with those on the MIKE collab tbh or on Earl's album

But his beats are fairly consistently amazing imo, usually end up marvelling at them, usually more so on repeat listens. Like how damn smooth Post Panic is, or whatever is going on on this one

also As Above So Below is so so hard to me, collldd tape

Nigga what?

I enjoyed that one

100%. I need to revisit True Sky. I recall the production was consistently spacey/dreamy

Just did the other day and man what an amazing album gorgeous sound

Nah I know.

But I think you're defending the wrong point/distorting mine.

I'm not criticising Navy's production skills or suggesting his beats sound overly similar project-to-project. Loops are perfectly fine but, like anything, it's important how they're utilised.

When you stack Navy's beats one after the other, as in the context of these solo produced albums, it quickly feels rigid and predictable.

There's a reason why beat switches, transitions, momentary variations in the beat, audio samples, vocal mixing exist. Helps the album feel less stiff and exhaustive. Especially with artists like Akai. Instead you just get the same structure of a 4-8 second sample looped for 3 minutes for every track. That's not fully on Navy but it is a constant throughout these albums, and these 4 singles.

The best solo produced albums of the year to me - Haram, A Year of Octobers, Bo Jackson, Black Encyclopedia, Telephonebooth - are that because they're structured and detailed on a level far above Navy's full produced ones. I'm not coming into an album wanting to hear a playlist of Navy beats. It's an album - sequence and structure it appropriately.

And I had left SoS and NR out the discussion because neither are fully produced by Navy.

All I Need (feat. Earl Sweatshirt)

Remy Banks? From World's Fair? Now that's a name that I haven't seen in a very long time. The cover is hard and the features are solid, I can't wait to listen to this tape.

I still got a couple MISHKA tees tucked away somewhere too.

I'm gonna have to go listen to this.