This is the 8th studio LP from Brooklyn, New York skateboarder, MC, producer, songwriter, visual artist & model Navy Blue. Breaking through in 2015 off his debut EP According to the Waterbearer. He has since continued to turn heads in the underground scene by dropping 9 more EPs & 6 full-lengths before signing to Def Jam Recordings for his previous album Ways of Knowing produced by Budgie to critical acclaim. Over a year later, he’s spilling Memoirs in Armour.
“Take Heed” begins with a euphoric instrumental from Budgie so Navy can tell everyone that’s listening right now that they should be taking notice whereas “Boulder” keeps the sampling going thanks to Chuck Strangers wishing he knew then what he knows as we stand today. “Low Threshold” kinda gives off a lo-fi vibe instrumentally talking about cancerous antics that leading him to the crypts while the self-produced “Slow” goes drumless to demonstrate his own metamorphosis.
Finishing the 1st half, “Basis” has this fresh soul flip to discuss having everything he wants & more prior to “Running Sand” hooking up a reversed loop to talk about progression being his sentence & his reflection being the opposition. “Red Roses” has to be my favorite track here from the Nicholas Craven beat to the lyrics weighing the cons when you sense pros just before “Time Slips” exuberantly accepts his shadow side. “Say the Word” looks for a push over a soulful instrumental from Graymatter & the drumless “La Noche” ends the EP hoping you find peace of mind on your own.
Soul Golden has to be my favorite EP that Navy has ever done, but I still found myself enjoying Memoirs in Armour as much as Ways of Knowing or even From the Heart… & Gangway for Navy. In only the span of 27 minutes, he uses his abstract pengame to pick up fractured recollections in floral & imagistic poetry that leaves everyone sifting through the dense metaphors to find the trauma & catharsis at the center rendering, spirituality, love & family in a painterly mosaic of pain & healing.
Score: 8/10
