This is the first in a series of posts about what music I’ve been listening to constantly over the last few weeks, sort of a less exhaustive kind of album review. I do have a last.fm account, but I only recently set up scrobbling, so the ridiculous amount of music already I’ve listened to on my computer and iPod wouldn’t be reflected. Plus, this gives me a way of sharing some thoughts about the music. Note that most of these are by no means new, just new to me.
1. The Roots – Do You Want More?
This is my first experience with The Roots. “Distortion to Static” was the first track I really liked, but I quickly discovered that with a few exceptions, the rest of this album is also amazingly chill, with excellent flow and musicality. I think what sets The Roots apart from other rap groups is their insistence on instrumental performance rather than sampling. There’s so much talent between Questlove, Black Thought, Malik B., and Rahzel. What I most enjoy about Do You Want More? is the seamless fusion of jazz and rap. Whether for those nighttime walks down the alley to Poquito Mas, or burning the midnight oil doing last-minute calculus homework, The Roots deliver the perfect vibe. I can’t wait to get my hands on their third album, Illadelph Halflife.
2. Blu & Exile – Below the Heavens
I was drawn to Blu & Exile from his eye-catching album cover art. As superficial as that may be, emerging Los Angeles MC Blu’s debut effort is nothing to scoff at. Blu’s freshness makes for some quite original work, uninhibited by the norms of mainstream rap. The best way to describe it is to take a younger Common with way more flow per track and a more down-to-earth message, and set it to a colorful backdrop of soul samples and original beat work. While this album is immature in places, standouts like “The Narrow Path,” “Soul Amazing,” and “Coldhearted” are some of the most impressive and heartfelt tracks yet to come out of the 00’s rap scene. I really hope Blu gets the fame and respect as he deserves.
3. Bonobo – Animal Magic
I heard of Bonobo on yet another mp3 blog, put it on my Amazon wishlist, and forgot about it. I saw it again on a Facebook discussion board a few weeks ago and decided to give it a listen. Sadly, it wasn’t quite as exciting as I remembered it, but is still quite good. Bonobo (in real life Simon Green) is a one-man electronica/chill-out/trip-hop act who brings some outstanding instrumentals and production quality to an often stale genre, and for that I commend him. I can’t begin to explain the ecstasy I felt upon first hearing “Sleeping Seven” and “Shadowtricks.” It’s remarkable the complexity created from such simple parts. Animal Magic is short and sweet. As only the best electro can, Bonobo immerses you in a far away world of mysterious, unearthly sound, only to pull you out just as quickly when the music stops.
