Capaciti's "Mannequins" Review
With more than 3 decades in the game, Dave Capaciti is opening the vault and adding another LP to the stack. One-half of the group earlybirds and member of HECATOMBS, Capaciti serves an LP with smooth synthetic bangers while mixing his high octave, gravelly vocal inflection on Mannequins. Being at such a ripe age, you would assume fatigue would set in for the emcee, but it’s the contrary.
Capaciti assembles a large supporting cast for Mannequins. He calls upon the record label B&E Music for the sound. It’s not just one or two members, it’s the whole squad. Instrumentals are supplied by Poppa Squat, Jake PM, Nacho Suave, and I/O the ProcessR; the latter of whom is responsible for the mix and master.
Skydro, M.I.S.T.A LEGACY, and Walrus the Human also make an appearance with a featured verse. This is the first time B&E Music has fully produced an album for an artist outside of their label.
That’s not even the best bit:
It seems that Capaciti’s passion for Hip-Hop falls from the tree as his 8-year old daughter shares a verse herself.
With all these moving parts, the length comes in at just under an hour with 16 tracks. There’s plenty to unpack, so let’s dress these Mannequins.
The project starts in a remote location. Capaciti relocates himself to a desolate island in “Castaway.” Capaciti unpacks the commonly thought trope of many artists:
“If I could just get away from everything and everyone then I could really create.'“
Over a spaced-out, glossy I/O production, Capaciti reveals the truth about romanticizing solitary art creation. Although Capaciti feels more than comfortable being alone, he realizes the side effects of becoming a castaway for his art. He would miss his family and his home which are some of the factors that play into his inspiration.
“Why am I even here-really?
Silly rapper thought an island was the answer.
Now I have nothing to write about.”
Intense violins, guitars, and angry 808’s kicks the “Castaway” introspection aside and turns up the intensity in the second track, “RAW.” The satisfying chaos clashes in all pockets of sound while Capaciti wrangles those pockets in textbook emcee fashion.
The chaos changes pace but doesn’t mellow. It takes a sinister tone in “Don’t Call Me Boss.” Deep chanting, drums, and perturbing sounds swirl around the instrumental. Capaciti reveals the turbulence between him and his inner monologues during the unease of instrumentation.
While the first three tracks were of I/O production, “YEAH” takes a quick detour into Poppa Squat’s contribution. Capaciti can be heard chanting, “I just want to be a Spaceman.” The chant encompasses the sound. The instrumental would fit swimmingly in the radio of the Jetson’s car while Judy steals it for a blunt cruise. Capaciti shares disdain for his current planet and desire to rocket the fuck out of here.
“My mind is a terrible thing to wake up to.”
“Bananas” is the 2nd single from the album but the cornerstone of its sound. Capaciti lost his mind, so he replaces it with everything bananas. The liberation of lowered inhibitions and self-awareness is heavily sponsored by Capaciti as he portrays his colorful antics.
“My wifey says that I need help.
But why talk to a therapist,
When I can talk to myself?”
“I’ve been on my grind,
Since before ‘99.”
“Bananas” dives into the lead single, “Never Leave it Alone.” Capaciti indicates his longevity in the game. Capaciti’s devotion is imprinted in his DNA. The realization of this devotion came at the young age of 8. Coincidence or fate, It would happen that Capaciti’s 8-year-old daughter, Eliana, accompanies her father on the track. Eliana absolutely kills her verse as she shows the benefits of having a rap dad.
This track along with “Bananas” both come in at some of my favorites. Not only is this an impressive performance for an 8-year-old, but it’s also an endearing moment. The fact that Capaciti’s child took an interest in his lifelong passion and his unconditional guidance to that interest created a special artist; forming a one-of-a-kind daughter-father relationship.
“Super Sonic
Whose the hottest emcee
In elementary?
Oh yeah, it’s me— The E.”
“Do you Know Yourself” gives us some southern, noir-style trap. Capaciti questions the true, well, capacity of a person’s self-awareness. Too many people drudge ahead in their daily lives like zombies craving misinformation instead of flesh.
At this point of the album, the ninth track, “Tense,” fills the role of interlude. This dark, encompassing I/O production is accented by the scratching of J. Love The Soundsmith. The wrenching, high-pitch squeals add the finishing touch to this gothic atmosphere of sound. Capaciti’s vocal performance, like the instrumental, bears a lot of space but provides profound intimacy within that space.
“Spoken words can break down barriers
As long it’s attached with honesty.”
“Welcome to My Nightmare.” much like a later track, is in a different vein when it pertains to “mannequins.” Capaciti performs a vocal mashup of Alice Cooper and Dana Dane over an I/O production. The rumbling 80’s slasher soundtrack provides a fitting heavy metal/hip hop mashup.
“RAP SHIT” suddenly throws us into the mosh pit with thunderous guitar licks and frenzied, crashing drums. A classic vocal sample scratched by J. Love the Soundsmith serves as the chorus which spills into a dominant performance from I/O the ProcessR over his own arrangement.
“The Journey is worthy of my work every day”
The third single, “Qualified,” is part crossover episode / part posse cut. Over a slick Nacho Suave loop, 6 cipher-caliber verses are administered along with a classic posse cut-style hook with all emcees participating. Half of the performances provided by HECATOMB the other half B&E emcees.
“Qualified” verses in order:`
Capaciti
M.I.S.T.A. LEGACY
Skydro
Walrus the Human
E-Thin
“A small wedge in your process can cause a drop in nonsense.”
“We’ve been a problem
War-causing chaos Amadeus
Modern-day uncommon greatness.”
“People Strange-Strange Days” is in the same vein as “Welcome to My Nightmare.” This mashup, however, is two separate songs from The Doors pairing with an overwhelmingly powerful horror movie score much like its predecessor.
“Words to Live By” shares wisdom from both Capaciti and Nacho Suave. Words of wisdom are sometimes hypocritical as Capaciti admits to breaking his own rules but balancing it through small acts of kindness.
“A simple, ‘how are you doing?’
Can change the mood of another human.”
The hazy mellow of Poppa Squat’s instrumental, “It Ain’t That Tricky,” has Capaciti drowsy, charismatically slurring his words that fall like maple syrup over the cloudy thump of sound.
“You Might Think” brings us to the final act of “Mannequins.” Over a jazz-laced Jake PM instrumental, Capaciti acknowledges that, after listening to this album, you may assume he has gone insane. After a long, arduous journey as an artist and emcee, Capaciti may feel like a castaway from the highly competitive, ever-shifting attention of fans and listeners. Aside from the tribulations, Capaciti appreciates the listeners coming through and giving a listen to the fruit of his certifiable insanity.
“Mannequins” drops everywhere you stream your music on Monday, April 12th.
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Review by: Paul Thorson, Hip-Hop Writer @PaulyT03
Edited by: Eric Martin, Writer/Assistant Editor @eamartin95
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