Never Give Up

Great album! Highly recommend if you like a violin and hip hop mix.

I have been following his artistry for over a decade and I have seen a total metamorphosis of his craft. I have seen his YouTube videos of him performing on the streets in California to now performing at various venues. Josh Vietti is a force to be reckoned with. In genera,l the violin is associated with many virtuosic compositions by composers: Paganini, Shostakovich, Tchaikovsky or Vivaldi- just to name a few. Josh Vietti has entirely modernized how the violin should sound. Specifically, he has entered a sub-genre known as hip-hop violin. As an avid listener of the classical repertoire, I have been exposed to the greats and have developed a solid foundation. With that being said, playing hip-hop on a violin requires a special skill. Many violinists in general would play originals/ and or covers, but many do miss the mark due to a lack of balance and in some cases; many take it literal. Many would incorporate a rapper or a singer that overpowers the violin. That would result in the violin being on the background, which makes the track(s) unbalanced. In the case of Josh, there is definitely a balance and not to mention authenticity. His 6th studio album release titled, “Never Give Up” is a true representation of him as an individual. Throughout the years, Mr. Vietti always kept on getting his name out there and exposing himself to various opportunities and performing for crowds of all different backgrounds- demonstrating and proving that anyone can appreciate the genre of hip-hop violin. His latest release is definitely an album that a listener will love and appreciate. There are a few tracks that stood out to me that I would like to highlight from his album. The first track, Never Give Up has a classical vibe with the modern sound and effects. When I listen to the track, Antonio Vivaldi’s violin concertos come to my mind due to the first few seconds when he started to play the staccatos- a technique that is incorporated in the many violin concertos Vivaldi has composed. Harmony is another track that highlights Mr. Viettis more subtle side, but there is still an effect that is quite imaginative. Every vibrato and every note heard in Harmony [no pun intended] is filled with passion and emotion. I wanted more and wonder if there will be a variant of that piece. Lost Without you [2020] is a throwback- which was on his very first album, a modern Symphony. I feel that it serves as a reminder of how he started 10 years ago and 2020 is the nomenclature used to identify that [this] Lost Without You is something different and new from the original track. There is definitely a difference due to more of the hip-hop elements being demonstrated and as a listener, I can appreciate the track. Drip Violin, starts out with the trills and breaks into the staccato then transitions to the double stops and the usage of the harmonics. I feel that this track really demonstrates his technical abilities of what he can do on the violin. Drip Violin has hints of Vivaldi qualities and the minor key adds an overall punch for the track. S3 Drop starts out with a bang- literally. The trills, harmonics and staccatos are the perfect recipe for a perfect track- a signature of Josh Vietti. At 0:24, he plays that little riff and if the listener thinks back, Toccata and A Night In Paris would come to mind. In addition, 0:56 and at 2:28, that phrase is a reference to the track, Turn Down For What. The closer track, Toccata [2020] is a stripped back version of the original Toccata with the hip-hop finishing. His 2020 version is the antithesis of the original because it does not contain the punch and the very big opener that is synonymous with Mr. Vietti. However, I believe it was intended that way to show the listener how he has evolved as a violinist since the release of his first album. Overall, the riff, references, and technical aspects incorporated though many of his tracks is, in my opinion, a nomenclature. It lets the listener know there is only one Josh Vietti. The possibilities for Josh Vietti are endless. As a listener, viewer and critic of his craft, I have seen the total evolution of his artistry. Often, Josh Vietti would warm up before a concert and his “warm up’s” sound like modern day caprices. In theory, it would be great if he could incorporate his warm-ups in his future albums. It would be like the prelude to his albums- which would make Mr. Vietti stand out even more as an artist. By him incorporating such an idea would be raw and show authenticity. Josh Vietti is a violin virtuoso and proves that a violinist does not need to play Bach’s Chaconne in D-minor to demonstrate such a trait. Virtuosity can be applied in this context and he, effortlessly demonstrates qualities and traits of a [modern day] violin virtuoso. I cannot wait to see what Mr. Vietti has in store for the future and as a listener it is going to be an exciting ride.