Wiley Playtime Is Over
All bounce, bravado, street, and soul, Playtime Is Over stretches like elastic to highlight the […]
All bounce, bravado, street, and soul, Playtime Is Over stretches like elastic to highlight the finer points of Wiley’s talent: his fiery delivery (“HyBoy”), his heartfelt love of his roots (“Bow E3” and “Letter 2 Dizzee”), and his ability to craft a full, darkly kick-ass pop tune (“Gangsters”). The sad thing is that a lot of the griminess and outright experimental nature of Wiley’s beats are gone. A few tracks stand out (“Eski Boy” lurches and thumps in some truly weird ways) but many of them go for the simple or the schmaltzy. Wiley’s magnetic personality is still there though, and that’s (mostly) enough to hold it.