Review | Lank, 'The Process in the Progress'

Unfortunately, today’s microwave society doesn’t leave a lot of room, if any, to appreciate art that’s actually better slowly cooked versus artificially reproduced.

The consumer wants it hot and readily available, while the artists want to make as many burger and fry combos as they possibly can, as quickly as they can.

One of the main backfires of this is that we miss good meals, diamonds in the rough, because their prep-time and subsequent shelf-life suggest we should ignore them in favor of brand names on the dollar menu.

Enter Lank and his ‘The Process in the Progress’, a 2018 release.

The timestamp is relevant because as Gospel artists, or anything that’s actually Gospel, we can’t ever really become outdated or irrelevant. With a well thought out and executed Process, Lank triumphantly testifies to this point.

Total packages don’t come along all that often: production, lyrics, songwriting, content all working in a perfect harmony that are the psalmist’s own.

Where there may be layers that are absent in Lank’s choruses and hooks, the fact that simplicity is championed makes perfect sense and speaks volumes to Lank’s evident call as a crusader first, an artist second.

The Process covers a myriad of relatable issues well.

Again, this is impressive due to not only the album’s release date, but any artist understands that just because the public hears a record in a certain season does no justice to all the other seasons the music has actually sat through before entering the atmosphere.

Things like “church hurt” (Fellowship), watching what we ingest (Food Felony), lack of balance (Pendulum Swing), being led by feelings (Not Feelin’ It) and other topics are expertly addressed with bars that both convict as well as entertain.

Lank, throughout The Process, shows a penchant for cross-audience appeal as he peppers comedic genius and real-life scenario from start to end in masterful fashion.

This project is thoroughly impressive on many different levels, as its sincerity (and most importantly anointing) challenge the listener to examine themselves, not because they feel as though they have to, but because as a product of the listen, they want to.

The Process has its share of features, all well done and executed, but Lank more than holds his own by himself.

Unexpectedly, this album does not disappoint; it is both mature and current, developed and raw; it checks a multitude of boxes.

Some albums drop and are ahead of their time, appreciated years after the fact, while others simply stand the test of time. Lank’s ‘The Process in the Progress’ does both. Well played, young man; well played.

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How are you feeling about ‘The Process in the Progress’ by Lank? Is this an example of a project that has been slept on by CHH? Listen and let us know in the comments below, or on social media @FiveTwentyCHH!

Available across all digital music/streaming platforms, or listen below!