Review: Valiant’s ‘4:14’ Mixtape Struggles to Deliver on Promise

Valiant’s mixtape, 4:14, dropped as a surprise on audiomack, taking fans and the media by surprise. Yet, despite his rising fame, Valiant’s latest offering “4:14” presents a mixed bag of qualities. Let’s start with the rollout. The mixtape had a grand launch party but puzzlingly, no release date was announced at the event or by any media houses that covered the album launch. It was only through an Instagram post that Valiant hinted the mixtape’s release in July, followed by a surprise drop announcement on July 11. Upon initial listen, the mixtape secures a tentative 3.4 out of 5 rating.

The mixtape, as teased by Valiant himself, promises a sonic journey across genres, featuring 18 tracks that reveal his dynamic versatility. With flavors from reggae to dancehall, gospel, Afrobeat, and even elements of Spanish and French music, Valiant paints a broad musical canvas. However, despite this genre-spanning approach, the mixtape doesn’t quite live up to its full promise, offering an initial rating of 3.4 out of 5.

Musically, the production quality of “4:14” is commendable, though the tracks seems geared towards a smaller audience, perhaps reminiscent of a 500-to-600 capacity club rather than a large concert or festival setting. The lack of diverse and universally appealing tracks may limit Valiant’s opportunities to expand his reach beyond the confines of hard core Dancehall fans.

The vocals, both Valiant’s and his guest artists’, remain strong throughout the mixtape. However, the songwriting could benefit from some added depth. The themes are somewhat repetitive, and the lyrics lack the impact one might expect from an artist with Valiant’s talent.

A confusing choice was the decision to upload the mixtape as a single 66-minute track on audiomack, making it difficult for listeners to find or replay their favorite songs. It’s an oversight that hopefully won’t be repeated in the future.

For comparison’s sake, let’s consider Popcaan’s mixtape, Fixtape. As a dancehall superstar, Popcaan’s latest mixtape is the epitome of his work, from slow-wine ballads to summery head-bangers. It’s a testament to his place at the forefront of the genre, providing a much more immersive and rewarding listening experience than Valiant’s 4:14 mixtape.

Fixtape presents Popcaan’s journey in dancehall, offering a rich display of dancehall’s past, present, and future. His versatility, mirrored in tracks spanning different moods and narratives, helps broaden his appeal, something that Valiant’s 4:14 mixtape seems to lack.

The inconsistency in 4:14 isn’t a deal-breaker but it does seem like a missed opportunity for Valiant to establish himself more solidly in the music scene. Despite these shortcomings, Valiant’s 4:14 mixtape shouldn’t be written off entirely. It may not be a breakthrough, but it does serve as a testament to his range and artistic growth.

All in all, while Valiant’s 4:14 mixtape doesn’t hit all the high notes, it’s far from a flop. Valiant’s talent shines through, and this mixtape should be seen as part of his artistic journey, rather than a final destination. It’s clear that Valiant has more to offer and I, for one, am excited to see where he goes next.

In conclusion, “4:14” left me wanting more from Valiant. It’s a decent listen for his fans but doesn’t quite hit the heights it could have. However, I’m willing to give it another spin, and perhaps, just perhaps, the mixtape might grow on me. As of now, the 3.4 rating stands, serving as a reminder to Valiant that his journey in music is far from over.

Check out link below to take a listen

https://audiomack.com/valiant_music/song/valiant-414-mixtape-final