Album Review: Kerser - Engraved In The Game

It's Kerser season again!

Kerser's seventh annual late-spring album since his October 2011 debut betrays a frenetic release schedule, more or less unmatched by any working artist. The question we ask ourselves now that our host finds himself Engraved In The Game is whether anything is lost in this year-on-year relentlessness.

On album opener On Da Move Kerser assures us he can write rhymes over any style. It's no empty brag. Line 'Em Up features the album's best beat and elicits Kerser's best performance. It also confirms what we've suspected over the years: the presence of little brother Rates often brings the sickest out of The Sickest.

However, the deep, lasting disappointment of this record is the performance of beatmaker Allrounda. Years ago Kerser enjoyed the musical backing of Nebs - genuinely one of the best beatsmiths this country has produced. As the years have passed, other relationships have grown. This one, with Allrounda providing the entire backdrop for the record, is the least successful in the Kerser catalog. With by-the-numbers tinniness, our host has no room to innovate, no room to show what he can do. This makes for a frustrating experience, at least until next spring when our host can set the record straight.​