Released by Mello Music Group, VWETO II, is this kind of exploratory turn. It’s the sequel to her 2011 album by the same name. Like its predecessor, VWETO II is an all-instrumental affair, reestablishing Muldrow as one of the most reliable crafters of sturdy, funky, spaced-out hip-hop working today. VWETO II comes in the wake of 2018’s daring, acclaimed Overload, which reaffirmed Muldrow’s gifts as a vocalist and as a songwriter: tight melodies cutting through airy beats or working in tandem with heavier ones. Here she puts different musical traditions in conversation with one another, from the way “Big Mama Africa Jam” uses the templates of this decade’s beat scene in a way that recalls hints of G-funk, to the way that “Emo Blues” seemingly shirks its title to become something stranger and synthier. From the irresistible slap of “Bronx Skates” to the piercing clarity of “Brokenfolks,” the number of styles that are rendered effectively here is, simply, dizzying. VWETO II by Georgia Ann...
