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By now, you would have
guessed that this musical synergy between Nicolay & Phonte - one
which in 2003 immediately gave birth to "Light it Up" (the
B-Side to Little Brother's "The Listening" single) - is
unique in the sense that, it was conceived, worked on and finished
without either artist having met each other.
After a year and a
half, the result isn't just a Hip-Hop classic, but a musical
masterpiece by any high standards in electronic soul, a progressive
genre that makes R&B singing, Hip-Hop emceeing and instrumental
listening a perfect fit and very applicable. Soon you'll see a host of
foreign-based producers trying to attempt and point their radars
towards Hip-Hop circles in the US. With the soulful, soothing vocals
of female singer Yahzarah opening up the LP on "Foreign Exchange
Title Theme," you can already tell you're stepping away from any
cookie-cutter type of generic sound. With Nicolay's classical music
training bridged with his passion for funk, R&B and Hip-Hop,
rapper Von Pea rides off on an atmospheric vibe of floating ecstasy
for 2 minutes on "Von Sees." As the pace slows down to an
even slower creep, Phonte's introduction on the next track, "Raw
Life" featuring Joe Scudda, sets off the head nodding that just
continues and continues. Of course there are stand out tracks, like
every great album, but overall you don't have to worry about
memorizing which tracks to skip over for any one song here.
Throughout the entire
LP, Phonte's skill are definitely exposed, although on cuts such as
"Hustle Hustle," "Come Around" and
"Call," Critically Acclaimed and soul singer Darien
Brockington hold it down on their own on grooves that will see Talib
Kweli, Black Thought or Musiq waiting patiently in line for their
chance to grace the microphone. Yeah, it's that good.
Escape to a world
you've never experienced on the wonderland-type landscape kaleidoscope
of musical colors Nicolay digs up on "Let's Move," while Big
Pooh of Little Brother's jazzy flow of soul-enriched raps dig deeper
into expressing the spirit that keeps him afloat: "Why I grind
everyday to pay rent/I done gave'em my check before the first dollar
could get spent/It's bullshit ain't it/And they wonder why my eyes
jaded - dark brown with the reflection of hate in it!" As far as
the tracks that deserve a separate push on their own, zone out to ease
your pain on "Be Alright" where Phonte and Median spit
rhymes like aspirins, or on "Happiness" when he pairs up
once again with Big Pooh…ahhhh man, they just don't have anything
like this out here today - this musical magic is too heavenly and
healing to put into words. With the ultimate energizer, "All That
You Are," being a jam that could put Nicolay's name from being
literally unknown into Top 10 circles of Hip-Hop's current 'cream of
the crop' producers, you could put your ears to the test by getting
those hands on his all-instrumental, 15-track release titled,
"City Lights Volume 1," an album that showcases the
producer's talent beyond his contributed work from
"Connected." And if you're predicting this to be some sort
of soft, pop or watered-down release, think again. Especially if
you're thinking what a producer from the Netherlands can possibly
contribute musically to your stateside experiences? Keep in mind you
wouldn't be the only one to be convinced otherwise once you 'connect'
to this different currency, one that's acceptable in any stereo
specializing in capturing Hip-Hop's soulfulness of today and beyond…
Words by Marlon
Regis
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