Early last year, we were treated to a lead single, “Raining on My Chessboard“, where Swisher Sleep invited us into the chaotic and multi-tiered world of his new album. Against jazzy piano chords, lamenting choral vocals, and vocal accompaniment from industry OG, Kokane, Sleep set the stage for “the chessboard” – the trials and tribulations he faced, and continues to face, that made him the person he is today.
While the track delves into the tragedy of losing his daughter and the difficulties of coming up in Seattle, Swisher Sleep capped off the track with one final statement: In all the struggle that the chessboard brings, he rises up as king. Sleep backs up his claims on the rest of the album on tracks like, “Recognize”, where his tight, rapid bars are on lock from start to finish.
Other tracks, like “Jupiter” and “Confessions”, show off Swisher’s more mid-pace, smooth side. On the latter of the two tracks, Swisher dives deep into his own authenticity and desire to keep people on their toes, unable to guess his next move.
Throughout the tracklist, Swisher enlists the help of several Seattle contemporaries; Macntaj and Bingx add to the steady, hard-hitting power of “Gz Move in Silence”, Mafi D hops effortlessly onto the zany, vibrant, energy of “Weed Man”, and Stuey Newton comes in on, “Black vs. White“. The raw, unrelenting song tackles the dark realities of the racial injustice that pervades generation after generation of African American life. The record, which is an important look into the terror that the black community is faced with every day, is just as relevant now as it was when it was written over two years ago.
Especially notable among the guest appearances is Sacramento legend, X-Raided, who features on “Husla”. The deceptively-twinkly instrumental kicks off a raw track that almost cinematically delves into the rough, cutthroat gang violence that marks nearly every day of growing up on the streets.
Not only does Chessboard offer a wide variety of Swisher Sleep’s technical abilities, but it also serves as a deep dive into his psyche, story, and motivations behind the music he writes. We’re not sure what move he’ll make next, but we’re excited to cover it on Respect My Region.
