Recorded 2013–14 Artist Nico & Vinz Label Warner Bros. Records | Length 57:29 Release date 16 September 2014 | |
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Released 16 September 2014 (2014-09-16)
14 October 2014 (2014-10-14) Producer Vincent Dery (also exec.)
Thomas Eriksen
Amanuel Kidane (exec.)
William "Will IDAP" Wiik Larsen
Magnus "Magnify" Martinsen
Stargate
Kouame Sereba
Kahouly Nicolay Sereba (also exec.)
Raymond Sereba
Petter "Walther" Walthinsen Black Star Elephant
(2014) Cornerstone (EP)
(2015) Genres Hip hop music, Contemporary R&B Nominations Spellemann Award for Pop group of the Year Contemporary R&B albums No Sound Without Silence, Everything Is 4, Title, Love in the Future, Tattoos | ||
Nico vinz black star elephant full album
Black Star Elephant is the second studio album by Norwegian duo Nico & Vinz. It was released in Australia on 16 September 2014, and on 14 October 2014 in the United States. It contains 14 songs and 7 interludes. The album garnered a mixed reception from critics divided by the production and the duo's socially conscious lyrics. Black Star Elephant debuted at number one in Norway and reached the top 40 in countries like Australia, New Zealand and the United States, spawning four singles: "Am I Wrong", "In Your Arms", "When the Day Comes", and "My Melody".
Contents
Nico vinz am i wrong official music video
Critical reception
Black Star Elephant received mixed reviews from music critics divided by the mixture of the duo's socially conscience lyrics and the production driving it. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 58, based on 5 reviews.
Jon Caramanica of The New York Times praised the duo's decision to deliver social issues through African-influenced pop production that didn't muddle it, saying that "Behind that choice seems to be an understanding that reaching the most really means alienating the fewest." Simon Harker of The Northern Echo praised the album's upbeat pop numbers for delivering social messages that feel refreshing, concluding that "Not every track manages to avoid coming across a little too treacly or earnest, but the likes of the Stargate-helmed 'Imagine' and easygoing rhythms of 'In Your Arms' are just as catchy and enjoyable as their best-known hit." AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine felt that the duo's approach to genre-bending tracks resembled that of Bruno Mars but that it also helped shaped them, concluding that "this cultural disconnect enhances them because it emphasizes how, at their core, Nico & Vinz are lite bubblegum worldbeat pop, and will try on any fashion just as long as it might bring them a hit."
Brent Faulkner of PopMatters said that despite the album's misuse of interludes and its tracks being too sugary and not quite matching "Am I Wrong", he praised the duo's delivery of social consciousness for sounding authentic, saying that "All in all, Black Star Elephant seems accomplished in its goals – delivering an album that thrives off its ‘good vibes’. There is no denying that Nico & Vinz better their listeners by eschewing negativity, not to mention avoiding profanity for the most part. That said, sometimes so much positivity grows ever too schmaltzy and a bit blasé." Caroline Sullivan of The Guardian praised the duo's vocal delivery of inspiration lyrics over eclectic worldbeat production but felt the interludes drag their message down, saying that it "nudges the album into the cheese zone." Chuck Arnold of Billboard said that despite the duo showing some heart and charm on tracks like "Know What I'm Not", he criticized the album's cheesy African instrumentation and inspirational lyrics, concluding that "Black Star Elephant goes all amateur theater Lion King on you. That shows just how wrong Nico & Vinz can be."
Track listing
Songs
1[Intro]0:40
2Am I Wrong4:08
3Last Time4:19