Dreams have an incredible potential to be an impressive tool for self-growth. Our emotions, and thoughts are projected in a semi-tangible form while we sleep. Within our dreams are lessons entangled in the imagery, and different objects symbolize different things and can hint to different aspects of ourselves that are in need of healing, or improvement. No musical artists understands this than hip hop artist, Deca; who is in my opinion, among the most creative lyricists and producers in hip hop today. Deca, who is from New York City, released his album The Ocean in 2013, this album examines dreams and their potential as tools for self-growth. Deca does not try and push any certain opinion on dreams but rather simply bring up dreams as a topic of discussion and thought, instead of a topic for analyzation and debate.
In the opening track “Night preparations”, a track from an old ambient record that asks the listener to relax and prepare for bed; a perfect intro to an album that will try and question everything you think about dreams. Deca uses many interesting samples throughout the album, but one interlude called “The Ocean” is full of interviews where the speaker talks about being trapped in mazes or falling, which speaks to the idea that life can often be a maze. Deca Speaks more about the confining nature that life can have in the song “Salome” which precedes “The Ocean”; “Salome” talks about a relationship where he felt withheld; a song that is backed by a beat that is heavy, emotional and almost wave like. These two aspects combined with Deca’s skillful word choice and verse structure creates a sense of imperativeness, and suspense about love and how relationships can often project an illusion of love when in reality it may be the exact opposite.
While the concept behind The Ocean is incredibly appealing, the execution itself is even more intriguing than the concept. Deca’s word choice is reminiscent of hip-hop artists such as Aesop Rock; meaning that his vocabulary is diverse and not repetitive in the least bit. Deca truly proves himself as a wordsmith in the song “Gabriel Ratchet”; this song could be compared to a snowball in that the more you let it run, the more there is to it. The song examines life in itself and that the only thing you should really worry about in life is self-expression, and that blindly following the daily grind without questioning anything leaves a life that is bland and grey. Deca is trying to explain that conformity and blind faith in societal norms are futile efforts. Life should be lived for you, not for the sake of others.
“Gabriel Ratchet” shows Deca’s skill with words, but it also shows his skill with sampling. Samples are when an artist uses snippets from other media such as a movie, a show, or another song and puts in their work. Many hip hop artists use samples in their songs for many different reasons, but Deca uses them very uniquely. “Gabriel Ratchet” is a great example of Deca’s use of sample, he doesn’t just use the sample, but he intriguingly intertwines it within his lyrics; as if the sample itself is a line he wrote. Deca uses this technique through the album, and the samples he does use are unique in themselves. A lot of artists will borrow snippets of other popular songs, or famous quotes but Deca uses samples that are from old movies, or things he recorded himself which is the case in the interludes of his album The Ocean.
It is important to put the heart in front of itself, and think about what is going on within ourselves. Deca is trying to urge the listener to use dreams as an avenue to unlocking the knowledge within ourselves regarding our mental and emotional processes. Life will give be a maze, and large walls or obstacles will always find their ways into our lives. However with patience, and a keen sense of self, these issues are conquerable. In thirty minutes Deca, in my opinion, succeeded in opening the minds of listeners about the power of dreams, and the power that we all have inside.
