Ace Rouse – IKIGAI
Ace Rouse – IKIGAI – Album Review
It’s been a minute or two since we last featured Ace Rouse on these pages of ours…all the way back to late 2021 with a single called “Don’t Mind.” While he might not have been here on our site, make no mistake, the man’s been plenty busy. In the world according to Spotify, he’s released a couple singles, the sequel to 2020’s Theory, Vol. 1 titled THRY VOL 2, and now this new one here called IKIGAI – yes indeed…Ace has been workin’ hard at his craft since the last we saw him here. So let’s see how that has gone for him and what this new album of thirteen cuts reveals about this thoughtful and versatile artist.
Starting with “Away,” I think folks out there listening will dig the sincerity & soul they find in Ace’s vocals & lyrics…there’s a contemplative sound that runs throughout this opening track that tells your ears he’s doing his best to consider things from all angles. “Away” sounds like we get the opportunity to witness a private conversation between Rouse and the universe around him…and I feel like people will dig the humbleness they’ll find in what he has to say. Sound-wise, I can hear there are a few issues in the mix, but nothing too detrimental that would stop you from listening. It’s tougher when you get these quiet melodies…anything up too high on the boards will reveal that pesky crackle of something over the red line, and anytime you’ve got that, there’s risk of creating an impasse with the average everyday listener, no matter how strong the material is. Where there’s more risk for Rouse is the fact that this appears on track one…if it was track nine, listeners might not notice, might not care, might forgive coloring outside of the lines in regards to production…but one track one, we’re all gonna notice. Caution is advised y’all – you don’t want great material to get passed over because of something that could easily be fixed up.
What I like a lot about “Feeling You” is that it certainly shows Ace’s uncanny ability to create a strong hook, seemingly out of thin air. He’s not really relying on melody so much as he is his own innovation when it comes to how the vocals and lyrics work in tandem on “Feeling You” – it’s seriously clever stuff and he deserves real credit for that. I also dig how he’s slowed down the vocals in production later on down the road to give everything a completely different vibe as well, like there’s almost a part one and a part two in this particular cut. One he starts to morph things around, he’s entering that kind of terrain that we love from Lo-Fi Chill…that kind of quickly irresistible sound you just want more of. Performance-wise, Ace is nothing but aces here…and for the most part…for like, ninety-five percent of what you’ll find, the production is right in line with where you’d want to find it. What do I always tell ya about that number though? Ninety-five percent is a phenomenal achievement, no doubt – but it’s that five percent that the artists creating something will hear for the rest of time. I’ve got some issues with how Rouse is recording his vocals…something in there needs to be tweaked to get rid of that slight distortion that seems to keep popping up – it’s hindering the man from reaching that full 100% and a song like “Feeling You” deserves that smooth polish it should have. That might mean a new microphone, that might mean bringing things down a level or two in recording, that might mean turning down the attack or the edge if there are effects and tools being used in the production…but it’s gotta get sorted out. Ideas like this guy has deserve that. I felt like that slight distortion wasn’t as noticeable when he slowed things down, so the clue as to how he needs to move forward might reside in whatever he chose to do differently there.
Or listen to the lead on “Out Here” – you’ll hear that come through clearly, while the rest of the layers surrounding him are hindered a bit by what I’ve already been pointing out. It could be argued that he’s making a stylistic choice, but even in that regard I’d still advise caution – if people don’t get it, they’re just going to hear something that sounds like it could use a slightly better mix than it has. Last I checked, Ace is doing everything DIY…and in terms of production, two years isn’t a ton of time for a whole lot of growth – so to me, it’s natural that he’s still showing us plenty of places to evolve. Ideas he’s got – now it’s just about the rest of his technical skills catching up to his natural abilities, you feel me? I love the Jazzy vibe at the core of “Out Here” in the music, especially as it moves through the instrumental section in the last thirty seconds or so. Not a huge fan of the main vocal hook, not loving the brutally sharp cut on the ending…but the rest in between works well enough. I think there’s more to Ace than just being ‘enough’ though…but it’s really up to him if he wants to prove me right about that.
“Come Up” sounds perfect at the start, though wrestling that enormous bass beat under the red line proves to be too much for the man this time around, and that distortion ends up taking over pretty damn quick around the twenty second mark. Some folks do enjoy that though…I’ll readily concede that to ya…it’s just not the general consensus is all. Ace’s rap is seriously strong on this track…his rhythm, his cadence, his personality…the things he has to say – there’s a lot for him to work with here, but this is also where I find things to get a bit frustrating too. We want the quality of the sound to match the quality of his ideas and performances…and without that, it’s genuinely tough to say if he has done enough to keep people listening. What personally bugs me is the fact that he’s got two functional ears just like I do…so somewhere over there on his side of the screen and studio boards, he knows the same things that I know when it comes to how the sound on this album is coming out…and that should frustrate him MORE than it’s frustrating me, you dig? When you’ve got so many solid ideas and lyrics to put out there into the world, you want that stuff to get heard…and right now as it stands, even short tunes like “Come Up” have barriers in between him and the listeners out there based on the production.
And so we go even shorter, with “Melody” not even clocking in at a full minute. That being said, I don’t have anything to complain about here, other than the fact that if everything is coming out correctly here, then that’s production quality he can replicate and hasn’t been on the other cuts surrounding it. As an idea…I dunno…”Melody” is like an inconsequential interlude that no one would really object to and it’s not gonna be the reason people return to IKIGAI desperate for another spin either…it’s a case of it is what it is, but I certainly appreciate that the mix is right on-point for this cut, even though it’s short.
“Running Out” seems to have its shit together…I’m not hearing anything too far outside the lines here, if anything at all. Audibly, that represents some hope for the record as we head towards the halfway mark – Ace might have simply saved his best for the latter half of IKIGAI. While there would still be risk in that approach & I’m still a little skeptical about that being completely the case, I’m also willing to take the W too – “Running Out” ends up being the album’s best cut in the first half by default as a result of Ace’s attention to detail all-around. Do I think there are other tracks from the first half that potentially carry better ideas? Sure! You bet I do. But if we’re talking about complete tracks that we can listen to from start to finish without feeling the drag of technical issues holding him back, then “Running Out” is the easiest choice to make as the highlight in the opening six tracks. Don’t get it twisted and don’t get me wrong – I like the ideas and hooks you’ll find in this track as well, I’m just saying that with the enhanced production and no audible issues to be heard, it becomes the winner without competition. We’ve all got different means, capabilities, and technology at our disposal – I’m aware…but…when you can hear an artist like Ace get things as right as he does on “Running Out,” then you wanna hear that every time.
“Warmer” is another solid track with no real discernable flaws in clarity or quality. You see? I’m nothing but fair when it comes right down to it & I’m more than happy to shout someone out for getting things right. Is it perfect? How about this – it’s definitely close enough to not feel like I should be complaining in comparison to some of the other cuts we’ve experienced to this point in the lineup. Sharing the more sensitive side of his persona, “Warmer” is all about creating that comfort for your significant other to relax too, and how that benefits both parties involved. Ace is heating things up, and that bringing that audible swagger to the mic through his vocal melody to pair along with the vibe of the music. I like how he’s gone about adding the backing vocals for support in the hooks…all-in-all, it’s awesome to hear a dude as talented as Rouse is get a couple of wins back-to-back on his latest album. Every artist should be stoked about the opportunity to evolve and grow further in doing what they love to do, knowing that they haven’t hit the ceiling or peaked way too early in terms of the length of a career – but by that same token, it’s nice to not have some asshole like me complaining about this or that and just bank a couple dubs instead too. Don’t get me wrong, I know it, I hear it, I’m the one writing all these comments while I’m calling things like I hear’em. The hooks are bulletproof & the swagger is strong on “Warmer,” 100%.
When it comes to “Skipping On Me,” I feel like it’s an idea I appreciate more-so than the actual results – make sense? That’s more of a personal taste thing…I don’t expect everyone to feel the same way I do. For me, it’s everything outside of the main hooks that hits the mark bang-on…I’m all about everything I hear in the verses from Ace and his bars in this track. As for the hooks of the chorus…I mean…I dunno – I’m not completely hatin’ on’em either…conceptually, it’s a pretty sound idea and smartly executed. But I suppose no differently than hearing a record skippin’ – I don’t know if that’s something I wanna hear in anything else I’m listening to either – make sense? It’s like static in the sense that, yeah, you can add that if you wanted to, but it’s not something most folks are gonna respond to in a positive way. So…tight idea here in terms of what Ace set out to do with “Skipping On Me,” but he might have picked something that will potentially have a tougher time resonating with the people out there listening. Or, and this is always true – it could just be me. That’s always possible! He’s put the quality into this track & that’s all you can ever do as an artist…the rest is individual personal taste & beyond anyone’s control. It is catchy, I’ll give him that…every couple of spins through “Skipping On Me” it grew on me a bit more.
All hook – no verse! “Going Around (No Verse)” is a decent tune…no substantial objections here. I feel like Ace has gotta be a little bit cautious of the fact that the main switch and transition he keeps tossing into his tunes is very similar track-to-track with him slowing things down pace-wise & all, but I don’t mind what I’m hearing. If it was the kind of thing that was a bit more unique to a couple of tracks, that could potentially be more effective…in the context of this album, slowing things down on a bunch of tunes tends to feel like Ace has learned a new trick and might be overusing it a bit, but the court of public opinion will render the final verdict on all that – all I can tell ya is what I’m hearing from my perspective. The production is in line on “Going Around (No Verse)” and the melody works well too – I’m not gonna claim it’s Ace’s most riveting idea that I’ve ever heard from the guy, but it’s a satisfying tune that has no noticeable quirks. It’s got an oddly calming effect to it created by the repetition of its revolutions, and I can get behind that. “Going Around (No Verse)” is a short but effective tune overall.
After having “no verse” just beforehand, we switch to wanting “the finest verse again” – damn straight. I don’t know if that’s exactly what we’re getting here though…at least on a textural level, where it seems like Rouse has let the quality slip a bit audibly again. Rap-wise, he’s at the top of his game here – I’ll happily endorse the performance he’s put in as “the finest verse again” – BUT…like I was tellin’ ya before homie, if the sound quality isn’t there to go with it, you could spit pure silver or gold and it really might not matter. To me, “No Repent” is a stellar example of some of Ace’s most bulletproof bars and perhaps the best performance I’ve heard from him so far in that regard…he’s right on the line though in terms of what ears are gonna accept production-wise though…and I’ll admit, I don’t feel like this guy should settle or accept anything less than the best of what he’s capable of creating. “If I said it, then I said it, don’t regret it, no repent” – I hear that, that’s who I am and how I do what I do too. #Respect! There are so many positives about what I hear on “No Repent” that they truly outweigh any negatives here – and that’s rare! I wouldn’t be gambling on that if I was Ace…he’s capable of creating the finest SOUND to go along with “the finest verse” he can create…so don’t stop until that’s exactly what you’ve got my friend. A track like this is a perfect example of how a bit more clarity would push it right to the top of everyone’s playlists out there…as it stands, it’s possible it still might – but if he polishes things up to take away any hesitation someone out there might be feeling, he’ll be well on his way to number one y’all.
“No Repent” AND “No Denim?” Surely we can have ONE of these things, can’t we Ace? Let the people have what they want Ace! Repentance and Denim…the two things none of us can live without! Alright – my list might not necessarily include either of those items and I probably don’t have a stake in this game here if I’m being real with ya, but I am allowed to have a little fun, right? Everyone and everything is so serious all the time. If Ace don’t want “No Denim,” I’m not gonna be the guy to tell him otherwise – cut it right outta your life and never look back bro! You do you – that’s what IKIGAI is all about, ain’t it? The reason to live, however we choose to define it? If you don’t want “No Denim” around, or it’s messing with your chi and such, cut that shit right outta your life and everyone that’s got a jean jacket on as far as I’m concerned. In the world of TMI, I still don’t wear jeans to this very day cause I grew up growing commando and was tired of my Johnson getting rubbed raw by the material and zipper, so hell yeah, I’m with bro – “No Denim” over here either, forever and ever, amen. Anyhow. In all seriousness, I think this is another genuinely strong cut in the lineup as well, and I dig how “No Denim” finishes off with its instrumental vibe. Keep a close ear on those sharp cuts to finish off the tracks though brother-man – it’s all about the little details that end up determining who’s ready to level-up professionally in this industry.
“Lying To Myself” is without question one of the best from Ace Rouse on this record. Self-reflective and vulnerable, you’ll find this track is authentic, honest, realistic, and probably more relatable than you might even want to admit. We all get caught lying to ourselves at times, don’t we? What makes that interesting is that we’re the only people that can ever catch ourselves in that lie…yet we still do it, even though deep down inside we know we’re gonna call ourselves out on our own bullshit at some point. So, here’s what’s real…I think Ace has got a solid track with “Lying To Myself” that people are going to really dig on…BUT…like I was tellin’ ya earlier my friend, be cautious of how many times you’re working with similar moves, or be mindful of it. The whole slowing things down idea was fully effective as this album began, but with as many times as that gear is flexed throughout the course of this lineup of songs, it’s in danger of watering itself down too. Don’t get me wrong – personally, I enjoy it, and I never really seem to grow tired of it – like…I mentioned how it’s similar to what Lo-Fi Chill does earlier and that’s like, ALL that project tends to do. But I’m not the majority…I’m the exception in that regard, not the rule. When it comes to the average everyday listener out there, chances are they’re going to want a bit more diversity with respect to all that. I’m still confident that the low-key vibes and down-to-earth grounded lyricism and sensational flow will have people feeling like “Lying To Myself” is one of the best on IKIGAI overall though…it’s a really well-balanced track at the end of the day, and cleverly designed.
Not to beleaguer the point, but all the things I was pointing out at the start of this review have pretty much gone by the wayside – with the exception of some of the production on “No Repent,” the second half of IKIGAI DID go on to find the clarity that Ace’s ideas, music, and efforts deserve. By the time we reach the finale with “Get Lost” – it’s like the man has everything sorted out and any flaws are a distant memory by this point. So again, like I was tellin’ ya, be cautious of keeping things consistent in that regard, because if we KNOW that you’re capable of complete quality, that’s what we tend to expect, you feel me? Like…I want the Ace Rouse that we get on “Get Lost” on every single one of his tracks, and I don’t feel like we shouldn’t be asking for that en masse! Great rhythm and flow in what he brings to the bars on “Get Lost” – and with respect to the Rap, he’s basically crushed that every time he’s stepped up to the mic, no cap. Now it’s all about ensuring the rest is as refined and ready to roll…and the first half of IKIGAI reveals the opportunities he’s still got to evolve as an artist as he continues on the “Come Up.” I think it’s also potentially fair to point out that the extra length on the final two tracks of this album also seems to pay off for Ace too…so I might be inclined to start exploring ideas for a little longer I was him. In any event, IKIGAI started good but finished great, and that’d be my main takeaway if I was Rouse. Like I was saying earlier on, his ears work the exact same way mine do, so it should be no problem for him to hear what the difference was between the first half of this album and the second in order for him to illuminate the pathway forward for his music from here, and get the best outta himself, every time.
Find more music from Ace Rouse at his official page at Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/ace-rouse/1479654764
It’s a whole new year for you to ignore this message down here! Did you know you could be the next up on our pages at sleepingbagstudios by clicking here?
