A fast rapper to the layman, an opportunist I say. That every tick of the play counter marks a lifetime for Kristoff Krane (of free-jazz group Absorbr), one moment with which to tell two tales. Among the limber-lipped ones, Krane AKA Christopher M. Keller is adept, a swift deliverer of 1000 WPM. We’ve all seen speed before, the Eyedea’s (a major Krane influence and collaborator), the Project Blowedians (particularly Mikah 9’s jazzy offerings), shit, even the Twista’s, but on This Will Work For Now speed is not for props, or a talent in itself, but for efficiently utilizing every groove on black vinyl to say something. See TWWFN is 60+ minutes with which Kristoff Krane walks a full-poet’s path in a seasoned lyricist’s shoes. Messages that slip unseen past BOTH the enlightened and the untested are delivered with noticeable purpose that they prompt relistens for more understanding. You might not find it, but the search for what’s profound is a journey through something both recklessly spontaneous but wholly balanced. Lyrical delivery styles vary greatly from dense packing of introspective one-lines to a hop-scotch cadence sans the markers that’ll have heads bobbing to words spit like 8ths. With rappers overly committing to their off-key singing voices and thriving on the imperfections in said voices, Krane’s few songbird moments are a soothing sound with enough emotion to offset his aggressive verbiage and industrial beats. Speaking of production, also handled by Keller/Krane, TWWFN is two tones short of deranged, teetering toward overproduced at few points, but the organized confusion plays its part. Like a post-apocalyptic coffee shop, the penchant for metallic and tribal drum shares time with rusty brass, keys, and bass string to give that jazzy open mic aura.

In overview, This Will Work For Now has it’s share of black and white life lessons such as ‘Miracle’, a tale of grandma’s enduring love through her husband’s age-related memory loss, ‘Leader’, an offbeat number about the role parents play in shaping standup citizens, and ‘Finding Good Friends’ which is-simply. Kristoff Krane’s solo debut is not without its share of one-off quick verses either, some so dead-ended and spontaneous that they’ll clock in at under 2 minutes a pop and speak in convoluted riddles. These exercises in wordplay and style are impressive in their own right, and are intentional visitations through his brand of freestyle jazz improvisation, though Krane’s strength lies in his more conscious offerings. So with it’s depth and thought provoking messages strewn about with quirky free-writes and playful parables to bridge, TWWFN is a must for the indie set and conscious hoppers. For all other hip-hop lovers, hit or miss qualities will divide fans of concise rap types from fans of vocal styling. Any opinion of this work would not be complete without several full-length visits, a respect for the intricate weave as much as the garment it creates. A solid play from writer, producer, poet and emcee, Kristoff Krane marks the entry of another gifted Minnesota soloist.

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