Review - Derrick Shorter “Waverunner Pack Vol. 1”
Anyone that has followed the career of Derrick Shorter thus far will tell you that he’s a top-tier producer that has amassed a quality resume of high caliber artist while producing a heap of instrumentals to accompany his work. So it’s no surprise that Shorter’s project “Waverunner Pack, Vol. 1” is, for lack of better words, pretty damn good. Filled with, not surprising, yet great production and quality verses that would give full-time rappers a run for their money. This tape is a short, but appreciative outing for the producing standout.
The album runs extremely short, barely topping 16 minutes; however, in this case, it's for the best as Shorter spends the course of the album doing just enough to flex his creative muscle without overstaying his welcome. Shorter showcases his production, which is expectedly head-knoddingly great, but he also does just enough to display his impressive bars-manship, which becomes increasingly appreciated by the project's conclusion.
The project’s bread and butter without question is the production, as each of the five songs features sample-heavy beats accompanied by hi-hat-happy rhythms that are playfully dark, sophisticated, and strong enough to carry the tracks on their own. Each track’s instrumentation holds its own identity and feels like the tracks main star with accompanying artists. Shorter, while no slouch on the microphone, does an excellent job of allowing the tracks to feel important alongside his rhyming presence.
While on the topic of beats, perhaps the best accomplishment here is that Shorter comes off as an actual artist instead of a man that simply makes beats. In a world where everyone has access to programs like FL-Studios, adding few heavy drums to attempt their best Metro Boomin impersonation, Shorter provides an explanation between the differentiation between a beatmaker and someone who’s gifted at musical artistry. Shorter knows how to maximize the potential of each track, adding features such as Stan The III, and knowing when to ride the beat’s momentum. While this is no small feat, Shorter accomplishes this task with no hiccups.
By the tape's conclusion, you will find yourself replaying this tape twice, maybe three times, to appreciate just how good it is. Overall this project is short (pun intended); it's concise and straight to the point without getting lost within itself. Shorter has created a highly recommendable project.
