Delivering a massive hit with “Low” in ’08, Mail On Sunday was a rather mediocre album filled with hooks, beats and empty substance. Flo is back with R.O.O.T.S. (Routes Of Overcoming The Struggle), does he offer some substance or stick to his club formula?
Finally Here: Solemn and glorifying, the track reflects on Flo’s grind to the top. Flo isn’t nearly as tolerable as he is on his infectious club bangers. With a decent hook that leaves a bit to be desired “that day is finally here, new shoes, new clothes, new whip, new chain, new wrist, new this, new that” shows the materialism and boredom the track goes into. 2.5/5
Jump: The dance floor ready call and response strategy of “Jump” brings an autotuned Nelly Furtado and low synth line. The track seems perfect for the club and getting the crowd to be jumping, as Flo delivers his catchy and unique flows with little substance. Fits his persona and style as a rapper. 3.5/5
Gotta Get It (Dancer): Danja flips Tina Turner’s “Private Dancer” into an electronic pop club track for Flo who raps about strippers dancing on the pole. With atmospheric synths and an electronic voice matched with Flo’s sing songy voice, create a decent club number. 3/5
Shone: Former Pretty Ricky member, Pleasure P assists Flo for this track about his lady being his “ac-shone”. Stinging synths and thumping 808s back Flo’s typical unique flow and Pleasure smoothens things out for the ladies. 3.5/5
Right Round: Sampling Dead Or Alive’s “You Spin Me Round (Like A Record)”, Dr. Luke (Lil’ Mama, Katy Perry) creates brutally catchy club hit for Flo. Grand synthy production that has club smash written all over has a great uptempo vibe, sexy vocals by new singer, Kesha and Flo rides the track perfectly. Although it does work mainly because of the sample, there is no denying its catchiness and electronic club feel. 4/5
R.O.O.T.S.: Flo attempts to get introspective and speak about the personal issues he grew up with. The track somehow lacks that connection, with synths and bass knocking behind, while Flo sings about coming from the bottom and how his roots made him. Mediocre effort. 3/5
Be On You: Sounding more like a Ne-Yo track than Flo, Stargate deliver light keys and throbbing synths. Ne-Yo offers up a worthy hook, while Flo goes into a sing songy flow that becomes repetitive and forgettable. 3.5/5
Mind On My Money: Another get money number, Flo’s hook seems poorly engineered, but its moderately catchy. Otherwise the track is fairly forgettable, despite the smooth Eric Hudson beat. 2.5/5
Available: Decent performance from Akon, as will.i.am and Flo reunite after their success with “In The Ayer”. The track really isn’t that impressive, a mediocre guitar/synth jam with a cooing Akon, uncredited female vocal and forgettable Flo verse. 3/5
Touch Me: Yet another sample, as Timbaland uses Benny Benassi’s “Satisfaction” and some comical synth lines. The track isn’t bad and is also given more variety with sexy Kesha returning with some vocals at the hook. Decent track that features some better Flo lyricism and cadence. 3/5
Never: Flo excessively uses “never” throughout the track which becomes mundane after the first verse, considering the hook incorporates it every few words. The beat isn’t lively enough either, and while the track tries to be introspective and inspirational, it ultimately fails and is dull. 2.5/5
Sugar: Sampling Eiffel 65’s “Blue (Da Ba Dee)”, DJ Montay does a nice job with the sample and the track is another satisfying club banger. Calming keys and Wynter Gordon’s vocals make the track more bearable, while the tempo is on point and Flo fits the track. Bound to be an infectious club banger, it is one of the better tracks of Flo’s electronic club banger mindset. 4/5
Rewind: Reflective strings and twinkling piano keys, mixed with an emotional Wyclef hook make for the ultimate pop track. Similar vein to T.I.’s “Dead And Gone”, it isn’t nearly as dynamic, but more toned down. So you could say that this is a poor man’s “Dead And Gone”, as Flo drops mediocre metaphors, “I wish life was TiVo and you could bring it back”. 3/5
Flo’s sophomore release does surpass the sophomore slump and was the album that he needed to make, after the similarly average Mail On Sunday. Lyrically he attempts at substance, but it can’t be taken seriously, especially when nobody follows him lyrically and it is more of the flows that he uses. Evidence of these tracks that suffer are “Finally Here”, “Rewind”, “R.O.O.T.S.”, which all have related conflicts. When Flo creates club smashes is when he succeeds, as in the infectious “Right Round” and “Sugar” which both rely on their samples, but stay in the electronic club mindset of the album. Nelly Furtado assisted “Jump” seems bound for club play as well, while other decent club tracks are satisfactory. Ne-Yo and Akon offer mediocre offerings, while the overly excessive use of “Never” ruins the track and “Shone” is a decent summery sexy track. Overall the album solidifies Flo’s position and identity as a pop rapper with an aim for club bangers. He largely depends on the production, which supply him pretty well here, however Danja spares things and makes it too obvious of Flo’s flaws, otherwise DJ Montay delivers, along with Dr. Luke and the numerous other contributors. If you enjoy MTV, the hooks and beats of this, then Flo succeeds, however if your looking for more substance, look elsewhere. R.O.O.T.S. means routs of overcoming the struggle, which Flo is saying to have fun and dance than worry about the current state of the U.S. Has a few solid bangers and decent club joints, but other than that, its a mediocre release.
Rating: 7 out of 10
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