For a collective that describe themselves as a family, there doesn’t seem to be much squabbling in the Ratking camp. Less than a year since the release of their acclaimed debut, ‘So It Goes’, ‘700 Fill’ was put together in six days. Just for context: Dr. Dre has been planning ‘Detox’ for 14 years.
You could be forgiven for tagging the nine tracks here as another example of youthful over-enthusiasm, comparable to rushed follow ups we’ve seen from Odd Future and Pro Era in recent years. Bucking the trend, though, ‘700 Fill’ is more sonically enjoyable than its predecessor, and certainly more focused.
The crew veer away from previously busy production methods in favour of a more minimalist approach. Though it isn’t full blown trap rap or cloud rap, there are certainly elements of both littered throughout. Bethel, in particular, sounds like it could have been lifted from a Clams Casino tape, with its whizzing loops and intermittent fuzzy bass.
The best tracks here find Wiki and Hak adapting to the new terrain, developing more motorised flows to match the nuanced syncopations and inflections of these beats. The only issue arises when they slip into the frenzied state that they’re used to, rapping hard syllabics over airy synths on Flurry.
Though ‘700 Fill’ is lyrically less memorable than their debut, there is a greater degree of boyish authenticity here. They rap about skipping school, smoking weed and even their favourite jackets (Steep Tech). While the themes are less specifically about their hometown than the boom-bappy, New York-centric ‘So It Goes’, these tracks actually feel more personal.
Their ‘beast coast’ contemporaries are attempting to update that classic New York sound, but Ratking are trying to redefine it entirely. Their influences are more geographically varied, yet Ratking feel even closer to home on this second LP. If they can grow into this new style, don’t be surprised if it becomes their staple diet.
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