Wiley - Evolve Or Be Extinct

Evolution is a slow process. People often forget it took millions of years for us to develop features like fingers, that can now be used to operate vending machines and swipe the screens of smartphones. It’s also easy forget how long Wiley has been in the game.

The title of his most recent album – his third solo LP in the past twelve months, ‘Evolve Or Be Extinct’ – might prompt some to point out that it is not much of a step forward. There is some truth in that, but there are also signs of progress and a reminder of the work ethic that justifies Wiley’s revered status in the industry.

While the album is certainly not a revolution in sound, there are hints at how Wiley is evolving. Most of the production is more interesting than his last paid-for release, ‘100% Publishing’. But on this record the two freshest beats come not from Wiley but from guest producer Mark Pritchard. An unexpected but welcome collaboration. It is possible that an entire album of alliances would be more successful. Imagine if the likes of Starkey, Daedelus, Flying Lotus and even new wave grime producers such as Rude Kid or Spooky offered tracks for Wiley to tackle.

His current tactic of quantity at the price of quality control does mean songs with less impact end up on record. His attempt at a digital tapestry production on ‘Weirdo’ is outshone by Pritchard’s similar ideas on ‘Money Man’. The lyrics are the usual fair about how he is the best in the business and his take on life. But with the amount of bars he’s laid down in his career it’s no surprise that he might be running out of things to say.

There are a couple of smoother tracks, a skit about Wiley getting stopped at customs and even a track where he takes on the personas of different people ordering a taxi. But the clearest demonstration of evolution is on the final track ‘This Is Just An Album’. The beat is minimal-eski, a direct link to his early productions but it sounds more considered, more introspective. And his words are too, covering his family and creative process, deployed with the best flow on the album.

I hope this does signal a step forward for Wiley, and with his prolific output we could even be treated to an entire album of this sort of thing by the end of 2012.