Album Reviews

Big Blood is a very interesting independent music act. A sort of folkish, experimental, shoegaze, rock bank (and even that doesn't describe them well). They have a lot of releases from their stuff on Bandcamp to their official album releases, there is plenty to choose from and I have been listening to all of it for a while. There isn't a lot to say about the band itself besides it is two song writers who occasionally work by themselves or with two other musicians and the lyrics have such an interesting range to them, there is never one theme they focus on. Today I specifically want to talk about "Fight for Your Dinner Vol. 1" (I am not sure if they ever released volume 2)

It is a difficult sound to pinpoint but it makes for a very vibrant experience. There is so much detail thrown in through out the album, even if the production quality is on a cheaper end. Though I will be clear in saying that the production quality is probably the biggest issue one will have with this album as it doesn't seem to break passed "Makeshift" basement studio. Though it may be a downside, this is an album that wears it well and with pride. It celebrates its lo-fi nature by making an aesthetic out of it. Things like the title track are these dark melodic tunes that almost come off sort of like a gypsy rock experiment, using the indistinguishable nature of the recording quality to create a thumping song that still hits pretty hard. Fight for Your Dinner, the track itself is probably one of the best in the whole discography. With a striking and heavy sound with ghostly piano that is soon swallowed up by a guitar, bass and drums. Such an amazingly done refrain and chorus on this one that will find something barbaric inside you. It becomes a great anthem of sorts. A sort of Hunter and Scavengers idea or maybe a gladiator feel (or a bull fighter as the cover alludes to) and it gets my blood pumping.

Though Songs like Well Water Pt. II (don't know where part one is) is a completely rough cut of a folk song. It isn't such a complete use of what they have as much as a song that tries to over come the quality of the recording with the quality of the song. Everything is distorted to some degree due to the equipment. To be honest everything is so pushed forward that it makes the lo-fi that much more noticeable in a kinda nasty way. The song itself is pretty good, though I will admit that the track is a little repetitive and noisy and could give someone a head ache if they are not a fan of the weird twangy style in all the instruments. This one definitely feels a little like a basement recording b-side even if it is incredibly charming.

Twin Skin I Is a weird interlude of singing and ambient instrumentation pushed way to the back in contrast to the previous song. You can tell the singing in this song is very strong but this particular track feels kind of aimless beyond reinforcing the atmosphere. It is hard to make out what she is saying again due to the quality. But it smoothly transitions into what is a very haunting cover of the Velvet Underground song "The Black Angel's Death Song". The instrumentation and chorus vocals of this cover are ON POINT! So raw and pounding. It gives this feeling of experiencing a sort of black mass. Which brings me to a feeling I have through this whole album of a very mystical energy. The chanting choruses and the spacey sounds of heavy reverb. It all really gives a witchcraft vibe through out the whole album. Almost becomes a book of magic spells of frightening devil-folk songs without really having any themes of the sort. This is another track where it uses the shortcomings of production VERY WELL to create a sort of unnerving feeling.

Honestly the covers Big Blood does are some of the most interesting things in their discography. They even go as far as to cover Missy Elliott's Pussycat on this album. Though admittedly this cover is not as interesting as the Velvet Underground cover but considering everything, it is enjoyable for what they are able to do to it. Just not exactly a stand out track beyond the novelty. Though the Bob Seger System cover of 2+2=? is a jam. It is subtle and really well done.

It is another reaching transition as we reach the track "Sick with Information" which is another strong folk song vibe but does it much better than Well Water Pt. II. It has this theme of "we are all searching for our way, though we may not find it." A sort of hopeful track while having a slight dark edge of dissatisfaction. The guitar is very catchy and nothing gets that blasted out volume wise. The vocals are a playful twang while in the back there are these constant whispers, reinforcing the title of constant information bleeding in, never quite. Such an amazingly catchy tune that has gotten stuck in my head and is the kind of stuff Big Blood thrives at.

It is with You Need The It Comes that we probably get the most well produced song of the album...Though it kind of has a problem where it verges on drowning the singer out. The melody is still comprehensible and the energy is lively, but this is another track that gets sort of noisy and focuses a lot on atmosphere over structure which is fine. Having listened to it many times in the background, it is a good song to zone out to...Really all these songs are. But is when you actively and critically listen to it where it starts to get a little messy. Which is a charm and a problem.

I feel there are a lot of sequel songs though because on the back half of this album is "Oh My Child II" which is an interesting atmospheric jam even if the vocals are WAY too forward to the point it is a little abrasive with the clipping. Musically it is a fine song though, nothing mind blowing but that is kind of the deal with Big Blood. Some songs are meant to drone a little and bleed together so when a song pops, it really pops. It seems purposeful but it does leave you with some songs that don't really stand by themselves. Then what follows is Sirens Knells II. A sadly unlistenable song by itself. If you haven't gotten into the lowest of lo-fi tones that break up this album, this song is probably going to irritate you. I actually enjoy some of distorted lo-fi stuff but this song actually hurts to listen to at points. It makes it so that even the music is hard to appreciate.

Song for Herb is another folky jam I can dig. Not much to say on it. Still production trouble, but it is catchy if not a little typical in ways.

Twin Skin II is strange because it is all the over blown aspects of this album that I talked about earlier but it completely makes a sound of it and the singing on it is AMAZING! So strong and so atmospheric. If you turn it down when you listen to it, this song is solid as a closer.

The thing to remember with this album is that it isn't so much an album as much as a folk-mixtape. It isn't an official release but one of the albums they released for free on their bandcamp to which they have many. There are what I guess are skits through out the album of different bits. Two of what seems to be a wrong number call of a man corralling friends to get up and come drinking, one of a boy recording a message to a friend for their birthday and other bits that don't really overall add to the album but make it clear this is just a fun release of non-professional work. As a good long listener, I can tell you other releases have higher quality and that it is worth looking into other albums if you can't get passed the lo-fi nature of this one.

Which is a shame because on song writing, I would give this album an 8/10 but with the recording quality, while certain songs carry it well, other songs are completely snubbed by it. Makes the overall score a 7 out of 10, surviving for, if anything, the title track Fight For Your Dinner which is so amazing (10/10), it alone makes the album worth a listen. This is an album I have given relistens to, so it isn't completely hurt by production but it is due to an overall playlist of this band that it continues to come up on rotation.

This releases from from Barcelona based Dance Punk Band "It's Not Not", entitled "Bound for the Shrine". Sadly, I can't find a lot of information on this band. I discovered them on Bandcamp and found their sound to be fairly unique. Having three releases, this was there last one that I could find.

Now, Punk is usually defined by its rough edges and lesser focus on instrumental work but as many can tell you, these are not ultimate requirements of the genre and there are notable exceptions. It's Not Not definitely break these boundaries with their interesting high-energy but well performed instrumentation. Delivering catchy grooves and strong command over their instruments. The lead singer is sort of reminiscent of Rites of Spring's front man Guy Picciotto in a way. All of this is perfectly represented in the first track of the album "Outerspace" with an almost funky riff and break neck drum beat without diving into chaos. The drum fills might be one of the most impressive things in this track as they happen so seamlessly and never make the track seem noisy. A strong since of structure with bar room woos through out the song. Short but solid track.

Then we are quickly moved into the track Snake's Tongue which begins on a very interesting drum opening before a guitar heavy with echo and reverb enters in on top with an equally odd but interesting bright riff and shortly after the vocalist comes in with a more harmonious performance than before, uncharacteristic to the punk genre but not unwelcomed. It is a pretty solid track for what it is, though it does the very common verse-chorus-verse structure, ending on a bridge that, while nice sounding, doesn't really add too the dynamic of the song and kind of ends disappointingly when it felt like it was about to ramp up into something more interesting.

Run for Your Life starts up right away with a sort of tribal beat and a guitar riff almost kinds of kind like math rock. While not as catch as the previous two songs, this one shows a lot of technical skill as well as some variety for the vocals as well. The timing is very odd but super focused and the song shows a sort of variety in dynamic with a small bridge that almost reminds me of a psychedelic break down that you might hear in something like a Fugs album before returning back to an even more tribal beat and we get to the ending refrain which the song is titled after. It is nice to hear a change up in structure along with a play up in style without sacrificing ability.

The Bright Side continues the album with another solid track though this one not as interesting as the other tracks so far. Honestly, it reminds me of a very by the numbers song on something like a Tony Hawks soundtrack and again has a problem of mostly just being verse chorus verse without much variation in speed. The drums are still playing at their usual speed which definitely has a lot of energy but might start making feel like it bleeds together a little. Nothing particularly wrong with this song but nothing is especially great with it either. 

Pills and Coffee is a very catchy and poppy tune that sticks out on the album, straying away from the punkish roots and drifting more to a popper rock/alternative sound that I could see getting some radio play in the right situation. A chorus that could get stick in your head. Though the song definitely doesn't give any sharp turns or surprises as it kinda finishes how it began. But it is almost funny how easy the track is to listen to as we switch to a less-than-a-minute aggro punk song titled "Fuckin' Bullshit" while also not terrible, is insanely generic and by the numbers. It doesn't sound like the rest of the songs and maybe is more of a novelty and tribute to their influences than anything actually worth listening to on its own.

Come and Goes might be the best song on the album and damn is it good. Everything is so catchy and good about this song, I will sing it to myself while involuntary moving my body. Great riffs, catchy chorus, strong interludes. Just overall a strong sound that really has a dynamic that changes up through the song (including what sounds like an overlay of a recorder that just fits so well for some reason). I kinda wish more of the album was this strong.

Do Not Enter the Wood Alone starts off very weird and you think you are getting a second chaotic punk song but then the wailing vocals come in and it really brings the cacophony together in a very weird way that seems somewhat horror inspired. A very dark tone that still delivers that energy the album has been focusing on. This song is very different from what you have heard so far but it isn't unfitting by any means. It is really cool, though if I have an issue with it, it just suddenly ends and transitions into a song that completely changes in tone where you feel no consistency for it. How do you go from something haunting like "I am the hole in this Hollywood" (I think) to "LOVE! LOVE! LOVE!" in "Sorry I'm in Love" while an energetic track, shouldn't be the one to follow it up.

But with that said "Sorry I'm in Love" is a pretty good track. The guitar definitely shows a very strong range and the change of speed through the song is very sudden but purposeful though it is still jarring in parts, especially when each small part seems a little repetitive in itself. Though I think this is a rare point where dynamic change might have been a little too much. Where some songs didn't seem to have enough, this one doesn't seem able to sit down and it gets a little disjointed and the constant refrains that kind of fill this album starts to get a little numbing. It is at this point where certain tricks in their bags start becoming more apparent though not yet formulaic. 

Too Late...yet another likeable track that isn't super stand out. This song is kinda repetitive even more so than others. One speed. And while its oddly retro feel is nice, this song just feels too long and is only really saved by the solo that might be a little too into the idiosyncratic style of the rhythm to do that.

Punch the Belly is where I started realizing that this album may have too many tracks because there are still three more tracks. Nothing is wrong with the track, in fact, I quite like the riff but in the context of this album it is more of the same speed of a lot of the tracks and this song might just be a little too long.

After this, I can't really bring myself to individually critically describe each song because they do kind of blend together with the rest of the album. "Hey are you Coming Late?" is kind of boring until you get to the bridge which then goes a little too long. The Time is Now, The Day is Today kind of more of the same, kind of as generic as the title itself, also kinda too long. I Wear My Best to be With You kind of brings it back around as it is a very solid sound but coming after so many tracks, I feel I would be able to appreciate it more if the album itself was tighter. It has a slower more methodic pace and a great sound that makes for an excellent book end. Just should have come sooner.

The weird thing about this album is I can't say there is a bad tune in there. The lowest points are the third and second from last songs of the album and they aren't bad, just kinda generic. I think this album just kind of suffers from a lack of risk and a lack of interesting structure. Too much of the same speed a lot of the time. There are some really strong songs, but they don't fill the album front to back. The rest of the songs by themselves are good tunes I would gladly listen to but nothing I would actively search out, just safe songs to put on a shuffle. It's Not Not is obviously a talented band that writes good music, just not a band that focuses on a master vision by any means. This is probably not an album I will listen from front to back too many time. It is a little safe and could have done with some more risk but not a failure by any means.

Overall, I give it a 6/10

Rogue Taxidermy is the sixth full length album of Texas based Folk-Punk Band Days N' Daze. Released in 2013, this is the album that started their rise in the underground punk scene. Started in 2008, during the Folk-Punk movement within the punk scene, Days N' Daze actually did a good deal to stand out from their contemporaries. Instead of having the melancholic self-reflection you'd find in acts like Andrew Jackson Jihad, Wingnut Dishwashers Union, or Defiance, Ohio, Days N' Daze were loud and fast and devilishly sardonic (though not losing the self-awareness that held the base of Folk Punk). Rogue Taxidermy features some of the group's most popular songs due to it being a catalyst to their rise in notoriety.

I have personally listened to this album so many times that I know the album front to back. But for the purpose of this review, this will be the first time I actually approach it with a critical ear. The first track we get is Rockabilly Impending Deathfuture. Starting off the track with a spacey underlay as a guitar slowly enters the fold accompanied by a short death growl and the song instantly, without warning shifts right into the song. Instantly you are hit with the nihilistic lyrics this band is known for as you receive acoustic guitar slams coincided with honest-to-god washboard playing. Which seems like a good point to bring up that this band goes the full nine with this set up. It isn't just an acoustic set up, this is an authentic travelling hobo folk construction with washboards and a washtub bass. The only thing that might seem too rich for your typical homeless train hopper is the trumpet that accompany many of these songs. And the instruments are played very will for what they are. The Trumpet serves as a sort of lead line with everything else backs it up with a fast paced rhythm that could challenge the speed of any New York Hardcore band. The timing is so on point, the starts and stops are so crisp. No one is ever out of place. And the lyrics are unrelenting. The sort of motif of "life sucks and then you die" but done in such a hostile way that it feels like I am reading "Breakfast of Champions" all over again. But oddly enough even with the aggro aspects of this song, it has a groove to it that not many folk-punk bands have. It actually moves around in its sound making the thrashiness of the track very listenable. And then it does this AMAZING tempo change where the song breaks down into this swinging composition that almost reminds you of a big band backing. You start to understand that they might be nihilistic punks but they are talented as hell. And then ANOTHER TEMPO change that is so dark and sad, it serves as a moment of reprieve before you are thrown back into full speed and given these death metal growls over ACOUSTIC INSTRUMENTS! This song is a roller coaster and  a brilliant start to the album and a good example of the range you will see.

Next up you have the song "Fuck It" which still hits you with nihilistic theme but kind of goes Albert Camus on it and manages to give you a much more positive spin even if it still reminds you about the negatives in life. And the opening line of this song is for some reason haunting to me. "She smiled and she said 'on days like this,  it seems like it never rains' but without the rain we'd starve". But the chorus on this song is so amazing that I sing it to myself if I am having a rough day. "Life's a game, life's a joke. Fuck it. Why not go for broke. Trade in all your chips and learn how to be free. Why abstain? Why jump in line? We're all living on borrowed time. Do what you like and we'll like what you do when you do it and if they don't that's fine. Fuck 'em!" If you can listen to that and your heart doesn't swell with warmth then I am afraid you do not have a heart, simple as that. Then we are given a solid solo by what I think is a banjo. This is a powerful anthem of freedom when you don't feel satisfied with the role you've been given. And it also shows that this band will not try to deafen you with speed but aren't afraid to break it out when a song needs a little flare in the end.

Muddy Knees continues to show all the amazing things that has been displayed so far. Strong trumpet lead line and solid rhythm work from the rest of the band to start out the song but then we are brought into a very catchy and impressive skipping rhythm very reminiscent of very old school folk tunes. This song is sort of about "remembering good times" of when you give less of a shit and kind of breaking away and going back to not giving a shit how you look when you dance or if anyone is watching. It is such a surprise that a band can start out with such a dark song and then follow up with such brighter sounds. Though the lyrics are always consistent in belief. The images are still mournful of an unfortunate world so you never feel that the band is talking out of both sides of their mouth. It is actually a breath of fresh air to get hit by that depression but feel like you actually get a response to it, something that tries to find a way to deal with this darkness. The vocals are oddly rhythmic and being that both the singers are going at the same time, it is impressive they manage to stay in time. 

But it would be disingenuous to say that this album tries to make positivity out of negativity the whole time as "Call in the Coroner" just might be the darkest song on the album. A song of pure anger and depressions with lines like "Just because I'm still moving doesn't mean I'm not a corpse." It is this idea of suffering from the feeling of being dead inside and how the world on the outside does nothing to make it better and you feel like you just can't escape it "Fire on the innocent and the guilty" is the line that this track starts of with and it is dark. Even the opening guitar riff is sort of a depressing sluggishness that the rest of the band follow suit. Then the real energy comes in as a scream is unleashed over the track. This song still delivers with all the dynamic, making yet another consistently strong track for a band that seems to take time to fully and meticulously flesh out each song structurally. 

There is one song on this whole album that stands out above all other songs in DnD's discography and it is Misanthropic Drunken Loner. I've seen this band live and if you aren't seeing this song when they play it then you're not a DnD fan. This is the crowd favorite and for good reason. Not only is it musically one of their best as it kind of sticks out beyond their punk influences but lyrically this song nails a feeling of loneliness so well that it feels like this song is reaching into you and finding that person who hates everyone and telling them "you aren't alone". The instrumentation is so well down. Even the reoccurring punk speed motif doesn't feel out of place among the very beautiful compositional break ups in the song. And this has one of the catchiest choruses on the album. Whitney Flynn really gets to display her vocal abilities that really separate this band from the rest of punk and the bridge is fucking brilliant.

Blue Jay is such a left turn but not an unwelcomed one. Whitney Flynn gets to shine as her solo vocals sit on top of instrumentation that completely drops the punk aesthetic and delivers, instead, a nice pure folk composition. Your heart kind of breaks as she sings the chorus "Too tired to weep, to tired to breathe. To tired to deal with all this tragedy." This song overall is just heartbreak of missing someone so bad that you can't function. Even has a whistle solo in there which is charming in its roughness.

Remnants of What People Used to Be is a song that is very bluntly calling out magazine culture with their photoshopped models and the superficial materialism. It can be looked at as a sort of curmudgeon song which isn't really a surprise coming from a crust punk band, though this might be a song you like or dislike depending on your disposition. Musically it isn't as dynamic as their other songs but that isn't the point. If this was played by a regular punk rock band, you could see that it is sort of just a catchy anti-corporation song that isn't meant to take up too much of your thought process. A blunt song for a blunt message. In intent, this song is successful, but arguably the weaker track of the list but with a track list so amazing, that isn't really a knock. And if you can't really argue too much with the message as a candid clip is played at the end of patriotic rednecks who are clearly drunk talking about all the stupid stuff they love. So, if anything, DnD were prepared to receive the criticism of it being a curmudgeon and simple song and pre-emptively fire back with in irrefutable example. Well played. Really takes an okay song and manages to keep it strong enough for this overall strong album so far.

Then comes what I think is my second favorite song of the album. Day Gaunts. To give some background. There is a band that DnD often promote alongside themselves called Night Gaunts. A sort of funky, poppy, ska-ish band and there is sort of a back and forth with these bands and this song is a part of it. Kind of a question of "What if DnD tried to write a Night Gaunts song?" and the results are very catchy. You are given this sort of rap verse (as close to rap as a folk punk band can get) that uses an ironic contrast of happy sounding music juxtaposed to very negative lyrics. Partying so hard while you're life is falling apart and you think you just might die but not caring as you continue to party. These aren't Kendrick level bars but they are insanely amusing.

Fate of a Coward (Ft. Jessica Flynn) is a good song that really reminds me of those country woman revenge songs and that is what it is more or less and a really well done version of it. Once again Whitney Flynn gets to shine along side her sister (I think?) as they sing a duet of murder.

Dazed From the Dazzle of Decadence and Constantly Reminded of Death (I had to copy and paste that) is an instrumental track and it really shows the band's ability as there are so many layers and it all works to one very solid sound. It is a nice rest and kind of makes me realize that there are a lot of songs used to break up what would otherwise be a monotony of fast punk tracks and while those songs are good too, it is the dynamic aspects of this album that keeps it so strong.

Then there is 1984 which is alright though it sounds a little too much like "Call in the Coroner" if I am to be honest. What really saves it is the bridge that, even though similarly placed, is very unique. Though a little too short in the scheme of the song. Though it isn't so annoying as the song is the second shortest on the album and so it doesn't last long enough to cause an issue.

DBS Out is yet another solid track that I can indeed pick out of a line up. A song where you just have to escape a place you've been confined in for so long or you'll go crazy. It doesn't matter how, you just need to leave it. 

Tarnished Ol' Photograph is another song of nostalgia. Where even the bad times are better than now. An old summertime you'll never forget even if you don't remember what year it was. Nothing complicated musically but that is perfect for a song about a simpler time.

Goodbye Lulu is obviously a shade throwing song of someone who must have been awful to get a whole song about them. It seems like it is about a fake oogle who, even though they have a perfectly fine middle class life, decide to become a train jumper because it seem cool. A sort of summer squatter who didn't know what they were getting into. Is the song mean spirited? Maybe a little, but is still fun.

Perfectly Dysfunctional kind of starts out atonal which thematically appropriate but soon risks being another repeat of Call in the Coroner but manages to keep from it being so in minute yet effective ways.

Post-Party Depression is our closer track and what an appropriate title to end on. And it is a strong note to end on. A song about how the party has to end at some point though there are those who never want it to end because of how sad it is and scary because your not sure what will happen. But really it is about appreciating the present because it could change at any moment. This song is just as dynamic as the rest and has plenty of surprises. Very solid track.

This album is 16 tracks long but never at one moment does it not feel cohesive. It doesn't feel too long and each song never over stays their welcome or cut too short. This band knows how to pack a punch in each track and emotionally this album is so personal to me among many other folk-punk albums I love. It is really hard to rate this one but if I had to give it a number. I think this is another 9/10. The only things really holding it back are the track "1984" and the production being a little cheap (as they are folk punk), the power of these songs are just the slightest bit squashed compared to if you were to see them live (which I so recommend if you get the chance). But still an amazing album. Still packs a punch and if you need some interesting punk music, you CAN NOT go wrong here.

For those who may remember from my review of the Scuare and BeetFarmAssist collab "On: The Way" I mentioned Scuare's musical side project with long time collaborator No1mportant (who even appeared on the aforementioned EP) called ...&more..., with two releases under their belt, this is the first album from the Texas based duo released in February of 2016. I have previously mentioned how I feel Scuare is criminally underrated, having been overshadowed by the more flamboyant personalities in the Soundcloud rap scene that he has come up in. Him and No1mportant both show their technical ability over quite strange production while proving to be quite interesting lyricists with their touching on very abstract subject matter like time, space, existence, while also not neglecting the emotional dilemmas.

Existence is Existential is an interesting beast of an album as you can't go into it expecting a typical rap album and that is made abundantly clear with the first track of this album "Life is an Existential Crisis" which is an instrumental that starts with an audio clip from some media I can't quite pin point. This might be the least fascinating track off the album as it is just a beat and doesn't actually have any rapping over it but it does get you ready for what you are about to be listening to. The production is pretty good. Nothing seems out of place and the tone is fairly effective, though the song doesn't have a lot going on as it goes with a simple overture motif until it outros with a return of the soundclip which generally lays out the theme you will be hearing on this project.

"Presents" is definitely the more official beginning of the album. Starts out with a weirdly warped sample of singing, furthering the spacey aesthetic before jumping right into the beat, Scuare coming in with a blunt and ferocious line "Life's a joke and I don't know why...". Flow wise, this song is very interesting as it is a constant onslaught of bar after bar but complimenting the rather sci-fi feel. Now the beat is a little weak as the drums don't really pop out at you and it doesn't use a lot of space instrumentally but not to say it is bad. What it does do is nails the mood very well, especially for the strange tone this album chooses to go after. I just wish the beat hit a little harder and sounded a little fuller. Though there are plenty of interesting bits where it switches up. As for the rapping itself, the tag team style both Scuare and No1 have is very strong. You can tell they are very comfortable working with each other. The chemistry is very apparent. The song itself seems to have a very sardonic attack on what can be perceived as a song about existential crises and trying to figure out what you are doing and trying to understand all this noise life throws at you while also trying to push through it regardless. It almost comes from a place of "same shit different day" which I think is a very entertaining perspective for such a big subject. There are a lot of interesting post-production elements thrown in such as voice modulation that aren't pushed through out the song but are instead used very sparingly which is very appreciated, usually giving the impression of sort of an alien or wubbly sound, more of that sci-fi feeling. A good high energy start.

"New Groove" is almost a hit of whiplash even though we are given a seamless transition. But it isn't so jarring to be painful but instead creates a good dynamic between the song before it and this one. And while the drums aren't much closer than the previous, it feels much more appropriate where they are at for this song as it is a much more chill tune and the samples and instrumentation is used so interestingly that it is odd but still catchy. Scuare's and No1's back and forth is something else on this track as they seem to be able to throw it between eachother with ease mid-line. Lyrically it can seem a bit nonsensical with a heavy focus on rhyme scheme but there are bits in the lyrics where the point is made clear and thus brings it all around. It is almost a question of purpose and motivation. Learning life lessons and being stuck in between points. Kind of a salad of feelings but given in a much less sardonic and, if anything, more positive way to kind of give a light at the end of the tunnel and know that there isn't much we can do but try and it is better than doing nothing at all. Sadly a short song but appropriately so.

Then comes what is possibly my favorite track on the album "All I See". The beat itself is kind of Vaporwave-ish which I feel it is appropriate in aesthetic. Lyrically, this is where things start to get a little metaphysical and grand, talking about grand schemes, material planes but not using them as a pretentious pseudo-intellectual attempt to sound smart but connecting them to emotional aspects. It is hard to sum up the point but it feels like an overall admittance to feeling like you have more to achieve than what you can see at the moment. And such a catchy chorus "All-I-can-see-All-I-can-see-All-I-can-see..." Such a dreamy feel to the song and such strong flow that I think this is the song that, if shown to the right people, would catch on with a lot of people. Very inspirational and the beat does a great job of backing the feel with a strong wall of sound and sort of dated dream pop type samples. And even though No1 does a great job, Scuare absolutely kills this track.

"Uber Man" is a continuation into that epic and grand feeling. The track begins with a stretched out spacey synth and chopped up bits of noise along with a vocal sample that manages to present a sort of celestial feel. The drums are starting to feel stronger at this point. No1 starts us off with a rather introspective verse as he takes a look at himself and how he acts and his honesty. And he extends that to the rest of humanity and how we become dishonest and controlled through our aspirations and desperation, being lost in the feeling of not know why you do this and being bombarded with things we follow blindly. Then in the second verse Scuare comes in with a much more sympathetic perspective, a sort of pitying over how what we perceive is hardly ever what it is and how we are blinded from the fact that really we are all one people, just separated by borders and building that empathy is that way forward, accepting our tininess as an individual but accepting how big we are as a collective. And it is on this track that Scuare shows these impressive strings of moments of doing such long lines without a breath or break and it blows my mind everytime I listen to it and isn't the last time he does it.

"Birth of Time" is a little more esoteric as we get into more discussion of infinity and time and stretching on for eons and what that means as being a simple and small human. Another elongated intro of synths. The issue I have hear is that Uber Man and Birth of Time don't do much to separate themselves in their production style even if it is still a strong sound. The thing that separates the two songs is this song is an onslaught of going and not stopping until you can't go any further, which, while epic, is kind of a plus but also a negative. The song doesn't have a lot of movement. It is kind of a straight shot until the end. It is a display of great skill but it almost has no groove to it and with the exception of a fairly short bit at the end, it isn't really catchy at all. But as it displays that skill, it is a LOT of technical ability and still should be applauded. We are rounded off with a sort of dance beat outro that is fine overall but still doesn't at much to the dynamic. Which is kind of interesting as this song is a LOT of ups, a big sacrifice that I am not sure 100% paid off but is still very listenable.

"A Quest Called Tribe" is kind of a fun interlude that I think is placed perfectly not to ware out the audience through the heavy subject matter and constant flow. This is a very catchy track and is going to be stuck in my head for days again. Instrumentally strong, not too long and its got a good hook.

"Royal Blu" is kind of an odd song as it isn't very existential. It almost more seems like a joke on bling/materialistic rap and the imitators with some poignant choice in post-production effects and lines such as "why the fuck you rappin' bout the bank roll?" and talking about how they can't even afford it. Honestly, musically this a great song and flow wise it is brilliant and even the bars are really strong. Honestly, the one thing that holds this song back is that it feels so out of place conceptually to the rest of the album. I guess you could make an argument for it and I am still really glad it is on the album but I can't deny how lyrically out of place it is following all the other songs so far.

"Eyes Closed" is not a song that quickly grabs you. It takes a moment to sink into it. It is probably the messiest song on the album production wise. The beat is very glitchy and because of that, the vocals are having a tough time being mixed in, notably Scuare's vocals while No1 seems to find a way to sink in pretty well. Honestly, the beat is too distracting and it feels like that Scuare just couldn't find his place for this track in an album so far he has been murdering. There are some good points as the change ups are fairly cool but overall this is the least listenable song on the album.

The album technically ends on "Meaningless" which is another instrumental but I think it is a lot stronger than the first instrumental with a much more interesting sound with the samples and harsh synths. A slight break beat in there as well gives it a nice groove.

Now, I say technically it is the last track because there is a bonus track called "Fantasy" which I don't really count as there is next to no connection to it and the album in tone with strong jazz and RnB samples but it is a solid song if you feel like taking a listen.

Now, I wouldn't call this album experimental but there are a lot of risks and for the most part I think the risks paid off. There are some that I don't think paid off as well as others but this album remains one I keep on heavy rotation. Scuare and No1mportant obviously have the talent and knew what they wanted out of this album and I think if people take a listen, they will be surprised what a couple of deep underground rappers are able to do.

Overall I give it an 8/10