Goldlink’s ENOCH reminds us what he’s capable of

Written by Saina Hydara

Goldlink has finally returned after a few quiet years with his new project ENOCH, and it feels like he is
really reminding us of what he is capable of. After one of his most successful projects, ‘At What Cost’
back in 2017, Goldlink went on to release experimental projects like Diaspora and Haram to a mixed
reception due to the avant-garde nature of the production and sound. However, ENOCH feels like a
departure from this experimentation and a return to the sound and style his fans have grown to miss.

Although not a full recreation of his previous music, ENOCH feels like an opportunity for Goldlink to re-
establish himself as an artist.

ENOCH’s sound embodies Goldlink’s time spent travelling with references to house, UK dance music,
electronic, as well as African inspired beats all anchored consistently to his DMV hip-hop roots.
“AVENTADOR” and “LIMPOPO” stand out on the album with their energy and polished production. In
fact, LIMPOPO specifically reminded me of how great of a rapper Goldlink truly is and how I have missed
the uniqueness of his tone and flow.

METATRON (feat. Lola Moxom) is the lead single which featured an accompanying music video that was
released prior to the release of ENOCH. This was a smart choice for the single as the song offers a
taster of the nostalgic nineties inspired sounds throughout the album but also sets the mood for the
return to Goldlink’s earlier style.

However, there are points in the project where production choices lead to songs feeling underdeveloped or even repetitive making the album as a whole feel unbalanced. Specifically, CLUB BEAT feels like it
does not add enough to the project for it to be included. In the same vein, GLOCK HEAVY does not have
the same level of innovation found across Goldlink’s discography.

In ENOCH, Goldlink returns to his usual topics of discussion such as identity, his DC heritage and
spirituality as seen in songs like MOORPHEUS, METATRON and in the project’s name itself.

In METATRON he starts with the lyrics, “Raps in my head / Demon in my bed,” evoking a sense of reflection and internal strife. “I’m trying to start to judge less / And listen to my heart more,” he adds suggesting a journey of growth and increased self-awareness. Also, the title itself Metatron suggests Goldlink is making conscious references to esoteric themes, Metatron is an archangel in Jewish mysticism, he is often identified as the transformed version of Enoch after his ascension. Often representing the bridge between human and divine knowledge , Goldlink’s use of METARON suggests that he may be pursuing his own evolution and moving from difficulties to potentially the position of a messenger.

While the symbolism and themes are interesting, I feel as though lyrically Goldlink could have pushed
himself further to truly capture this new personal mythology. ENOCH features multiple well-suited artists, Matt McGhee, Fat Trel, and Big Flock bring regional flavour and nostalgia, complementing Goldlink on their respective tracks. Fat Trel provided the best verse with raw and grounded lyrics, adding a lot to MOORPHEUS – in fact, it could be argued that he made the song. Overall, as mentioned earlier there is a loose spiritual and metaphysical arc across the project but it is difficult to identify and even harder to follow. Instead of a clear linear storyline presents ENOCH more as a collection of ideas very loosely threaded by the metaphysical references. Despite this longtime Goldlink fans will enjoy this project regardless purely for the return of the sound that originally made them fans in the first place. Overall, Enoch is a good album that will play well in any summer barbeque or basement party. It is a great reminder of Goldlink’s capabilities and makes listeners feel like there is much more to come. It is a step in the right direction despite its limitations.

Discover more from our music section here.