1/6 (“spell it right, bitch,” he commands) is here with his full-length debut, following hot on the heels of his recent Inbox EP. We begin with the album's title track. Of it, 1/6 says “every bit, of course, contains unlimited preciseness”; it's part of a gentle, vague bit of braggadocio that's difficult to follow and harder to hang on to. Sadly, the personality isn't here for casual fans. And the rhyme schemes are not demanding enough for fans of technical word wizardry. If this is a concept album, and the first song is the title track, and the title track is supposed to be a mission statement – then this is a disconcerting way to begin.
Sick is engaging. 1/6's flow is rhythmically spot on, as it is for the duration of the album, but his delivery is short of charisma and melody. Mantra, one of the track's guests alongside Maundz, makes for a sharp contrast. Like 1/6, Mantra is rhythmically rigorous but – unlike our host – he brings energy and melody. His appearance is a reminder of what our host lacks. SMS (Six Million Stories) is where our host shines brightest. A series of short stories, 1/6 sounds more engaged and lucid telling them than he does anywhere else. The subject matter is brutal but it elicits an excellent performance. LOL (Love Or Lust) is another opportunity for 1/6 to tell stories. He scales the same peaks he does on SMS.
All told, this is a mild disappointment. 1/6 is not a commanding presence on the mic so, despite the excellent beats this release is peppered with, Electronic Mail does not do enough to demand repeat listens.
