This is the third full-length record from Glastonbury presenter BVA, Somerset, UK. As a member of Four Owls, he has also given us several albums and EPs of his own over the past decade, with 2021’s sophomore effort Lex Neville and his first EP BVA MC standing out among the handful of solo his efforts. However, when I learned that Leaf Dog was fully working on Dam Builders after releasing The Sleeping Giant Awakens a month earlier, I began to look forward to surpassing everything BVA had done before.
After the intro, first song “Charge It to the Game” officially kicks off the album, with a soulful boom bap instrumental talking about being ruthless on the face but the calmest in his lane, while Verb T’s “New Days” takes Jazz’s line explanation is now different than it was in the past. “Out Here,” starring Benny the Butcher and Leaf Dog, returns to the hot streak so they can talk about growing up outside, leading to Ye sticking “8 Bit Tales” on the mic, Dust tells weird stories like Too $hort.
“Desire” brings a whimsical boom to the beat, talking about still having fire even when it’s cold, before Leaf Dog returns to the booth again for the orchestral “Take It Easy,” likening the instrumental percussion to arousal and bake. “Nice n Crispy” delivers this crap with more kick, snare and orchestral elements, that’s what makes them say days like this are the best, while “1 in the Ashtray” talks about daytime drug use As soon as he wakes up.
Meanwhile, in “House of Flying Daggers,” we have BVA discussing a more classic flavor of boom bap production, refusing to allow anyone to burst his bubble, while the stately “Dreamer” talks about how to be a good guy without spending money, and People looked up to the clouds instead of their bad habits. “Lost” has a soulful roar and instrumental explanation of how each of us is lost and looking for a way out, while “Over the Edge” requires a second check on what he knows in his head and not more Kicks and snares.
“Couple’s Clues” sumptuously observed the humor of these kids as they were told they were special, while reality cut them like sharp metal as they grew up, while the organ-sounding “The Curse of Wine” profoundly Breaking through the drawbacks of alcoholism. “Still Rowing” is a soulful tale of the respect you owe, while “Mightier Than the Sword” mixes crooning samples with kicks and snares, likening itself to a beast in its lair calling home sweet home .
Ramson Badbonez’ “Hiding in Plain Sight” with BVA continues to sample soul music, warning against trusting governments, legislators or pharmaceutical companies, while Leaf Dog’s song “The Medecine” brings back the strings, over the top Throwing kicks and snares explains that it has nothing to do with anything else. Before the outro, the final song “Always Something” by Leaf Dog ends the LP, leaving the bad behind as if it were nothing to the organ.
His last few albums were a bit heavy on guest appearances, but BVA really dialed it down on “The Dam Builder” and the result lived up to my expectations, surpassing BVA (Be Very Aware) and Lex Neville as my favorite on his albums My favorite new solo piece. Leaf Dog’s production blends original drum patterns with samples of traditional boom bap sounds as well as strings and organ, resulting in BVA delivering some of his most focused performances.
Score: 8/10
