'The Hamilton Mixtape' Review
Sparking controversy throughout Lin Manuel Miranda’s Broadway fan base, ‘The Hamilton Mixtape’ steps away from the show tune hip-hop style of ‘Hamilton the Musical’, instead moving towards a contemporary R&B twist – gaining a fresh legion of fans in the process.
Avoiding the deconstruction and entire reinterpretation of the existing ‘Hamilton’ framework, each contributing artist successfully administers an individual style through novelty filters on ‘Mixtape’. Distinctively, the album offers a change in style that is assuredly refreshing and catchy. Remixes of songs such as ‘Helpless’ (Ashanti ft. JaRule) and ‘You’ll Be Back’ (Jimmy Fallon & The Roots) smother any worry that the storytelling of the original songs may be suppressed.
Though the album is endearing and undoubtedly a fantastic addition to the ‘Hamilton’ series, some tracks tend to fall short. Often, overproduction leads to a lack of sincere emotion, inherently losing the raw appeal of the story’s historical candour. However, exceptional vocal talent generally outweighs this: Sia, Queen Latifiah, Regina Spector, Kelly Clarkson, John Legend and an array of others demonstrating their awesome vocal and musical talent. Fortunately, the storytelling and catchy melodies to encompass each track remain intact.
New tracks provide a fresh perspective and previously unexplored storylines. ‘Mixtape’ continues in the same historical storytelling vein that made Miranda’s work so compelling. Clever, witty lyrics feature in tandem with the masterful compositional elements of songs such as ‘Immigrants, We Get the Job Done’ (K’naan, Snow Tha Product, Riz MC & Residente): skilful and purposeful rapping with a heavy dose of pro-immigrant discourse innovatively reinforce the ‘Hamilton’ story. Using a prominent line from the original soundtrack as the basis of a new song gives this track a sense of authenticity - especially with its potent message increasingly relevant to politics today. It was a risky move to include such a track, but its composers executed it powerfully, tactfully and morally.
The Mixtape’s strong advantage is in its ability to appeal to a wider audience due to the popular style it inherits. Nevertheless, to extract the best experience from ‘The Hamilton Mixtape’, a listening session of Broadway’s ‘Hamilton the Musical’ soundtrack is essential. Gaining a full appreciation of the historical groundwork and references offered by both soundtracks in the order of their release inevitably deepens the listener’s appreciation of both the historical events and what the Mixtape endeavours to offer.
While the compilation continues to receive mixed reactions from fans of the Tony Award winning musical, it is easy to become promptly hooked. ‘The Hamilton Mixtape’ renders a versatile experience where artists are given the creative freedom to make each song their own. It is for this reason that the high standard set by Miranda's original Broadway soundtrack endures in this contemporary musical adaptation.
'The Hamilton Mixtape' is available on Spotify and iTunes now. Released by Hamilton Uptown Limited Liability Company under exclusive license to Atlantic Recording Corporation and WEA International Inc.
