ALBUM REVIEW: Synth You've Been Gone - Ta-ku & Roughsoul: Love Child

            When first getting this album I didn't think it was my style. But I always gotta ask myself, 'what is your style?' Well it consists of many: genres, sounds, vibes, and talents. If all the music I listen to is good, then I should like this album! After all, I already knew who Ta-ku was at the time so I knew there would be some definite talent flooding my speakers. Getting comfortable with the idea of this album, I soon embarked upon something epic.
            As the album's title fully suggests, we are hear to enjoy synthesizers!

Every track on hear does something magical, having a library neglect of synthesizers I knew this work would be special to me. The experience would be that much more powerful.

1. We Are - This one starts it off slow and starts that sparking. Then you get that dancing sound of the keys. More elements are slowly introduced, which is an absolute blessing for instrumental music. You get to see how all the pieces blend themselves together, almost as if watching the two producers making it in front of you. An elegant soundscape that pulled me in to the rest of the album!

2. Go! - More boom bip than the last track. This track you can really appreciate the work on the drums! Just a lot of elements that blend together!

4. Here - This one has a slow start much like "We Are". Then it just explodes, crazy fan fare! A real banger on the album.

5. Dip Lower - Carries this incredibly dark vibe in the beginning. Then dropping into a nice tasty jam.

6. Waves - This is another track that holds a dark and creepy tone. The reason I love this one definitely has to be that feel of the rain and those creepy chimes, going perfectly with that dark tone of the piano. Quite the smash!

7. Digital Spit - Titled perfectly, this track picks the album back up and lets us roll on a fast soundscape, that is so flavorful. Packed with various tunes, the main segment has two perfectly working synths, complementing another oh so nicely.

8. Robin Fly - I really like this song that other synth comes in around midway. So perfect, I absolutely love that track, turns so beautiful after starting out to sound like another dark track.

9. Faster - All about going faster, different pieces come back and forth through the song. The segment of keys midway add such a light touch to the song, and their is so much going on. The stuff is quite magical.

12. Ladies - An amazing song to go out on, the synths carry that boastful brass sound, and that bass is way down low and funky. Woo, what a ride this was.

Money for Belly - Flow Patrol

Someone it just takes a special touch to create that crate-digging sound

Off the wax, and then burning candles on the tracks

Flow Patrol Rawdrafts

Introduced excellently...

            A perfect track for Summer. This one has us soaked in the vibes of summer, easy living, and of course that delicious rhythm of classy subject matter. Flow Patrol once again has a top notch beat from one of the many producers he has worked with. The beat is quite simple, an exchange of piano loops that sounds so damn good, laced with some drums and you are ready for Flow Patrol.
           Another killer set of bars. He definitely keeps it classy on this one, using words and rhymes of a true gentleman. Some of my favorite rhymes on this track immerse you in the world of summer, putting me at ease.

And the love birds movin to the suburbs

Smother one another with Southern summers

In search of runnin (butter?) with the (cover?)

Have (recover/her cover?) in the hummer 

Updated as of 7/27/12 it is actually, "head for cover in the hummer". 
Did I stutter?

This is a fabulous piece of rap right here. Now, as is usual with Flow Patrol, not all can be deciphered. I have tried my best. This really sets the stage for the rest of his content on this track. When we think love birds, obviously a young couple, married perhaps. If they are young and moving to the suburbs they are most likely quite a successful couple. A typical upper middle class family. When he mentions the hummer that is another hint at wealth. And yet there is some tragedy behind the recover/her cover line. If recover, then perhaps there is too much stress in the characters life, perhaps this marriage, life, situation in the suburbs isn't what he wanted. If it is her cover, perhaps he protects his daughter/wife through wealth, another thought. So not everything is perfect, but that question at the end is put so confidently and has such power behind that. 

12 shots its a rock and drop to the curb

It ain't soft when its served

That line is quite clever. 

But the reservations gracious 

and the conversations spacious

the lobster's superb

Those lines put you into that classy summer feel, thoughts of fancy restaurants, elegance encompasses all attending, and the sophistication can be seen heard, and just felt. 

Righteous, you might just entice us with your license

to kill beats and cheap thrills.

Phony entertainment is all I can think of on this one. The fact that someone can just scam so many people, and when Flow uses the term license, he paints the idea that this person is allowed to entertain regardless of their skill. Hence he mentions cheap thrills. Could be wrong about all this, but these are just the thoughts that flow.
           Also it should not go unmentioned to Rawdrafts for producing this beautiful melody. Another classic feel good beat for my collection.

You & Me - Potatohead People

           A nice jam for some more relaxing today. Really love how this one came together, covered Snow Problem some months back and this was also another 5 star track. A nice light tune with an easy sing-a-long quality. A strong boom-bip going into it. Then some not so decipherable vocals, but they sound so nice. Then that great touch of keys, and synths for a little more flavor. Through some more background noise and a little more variety you got a perfect little tune. Just a short post, hoping you could use some more instrumentals.

Dreamy - J Dilla

           J Dilla. Not gonna lie, I don't really listen to him. It should also be noted I haven't had many good opportunities to pick up any of his works. This album I got off some site, and have loved. I will be honest I hated Donuts, none of it made sense to me. I also recently got Ruff Draft, which I also felt wasn't very good, but then again probably just me. However, Vintage, a collection of unreleased instrumentals is awesome. I remember stumbling on this specific track through YouTube, I must have played that for several hours, it is mesmerizing. This and a bunch of his beats are superb, as everyone knows.



         SO I finally took the time to download some of his work, and I knew I would want this instrumental. It is perfect in just about every way. I believe somebody summed up their love for beats something like this, "hard and soft at the same time". Which is a perfect way to put some of my favorite songs together. Light music, backed with a hard beat, makes for something perfect. That is how this song becomes a masterpiece. Those notes carry you ever so easily. The drums are just oh my goodness, then you hear that little wobble every now and then. I lose myself so easily in this song, if I just lie down put some headphones on, I am gone. Perfect track for enjoying the summer, enjoy it to its fullest. 

Gimme Your's - AZ

            Well I can say I finally went to a record store, and got about 25 records, as well as about 8 albums on CDs. It was quite the adventure getting there, but me and a couple of friends had a ball. Went to a couple stores, and the last one was right out of heaven. Before heading down there, I always imagined record stores with dollar bins with all sorts of old dusty vinyl. The cardboard stands that categorized everything, man we found a store with all that. The whole first experience was quite awesome. Anyhow, I found some AZ, and as a matter of fact Doe or Die. My first AZ album in fact. Usually I would already have all his stuff, but to me I always buy the physical album if their is one. Few stores around me, so I finally got it down in Noho. Got lucky with a couple other albums I don't have up in my area too. Anyhow, let's get to a track.

           When it comes to material lyrics, I am very picky. However, when you are one of the most underrated rappers and spit some of the greatest wordplay ever I can dig it. And that is what AZ holds under his belt, that and he has kept it real for well over a decade. His wordplay and style of rhyming is ridiculous. First time I heard him was off of Illmatic on, "Life's A Bitch" which you can read the post on how much that song changed me. However, this song is much darker than the latter, but no less lyrically golden.

           I'll post a couple bars I specifically dig, even though it is another case of great flow that seems to blend all his words together. Regardless I'll try and pick some stuff out.

I fucked with those beyond my age bracket

'cause they analyse and mack to get the papers and stack it

Leavin no trace to track it, keep on thinkin tappers is accurate

That mack shit, living the lifestyle, we filled with black wit

Kinda interesting. Shows us that AZ was clever enough to work with those older because they were smarter, which is a huge advantage in life. I notice myself, being the youngest in the family, I always had to shut up and listen, but man that has taught me to think before I speak, an underrated gift for certain.

Life's a performance so players play wit endurance

'cause from war sense, any villain's willing to get more intense

Another clever thought. Note that not only villains are willing to get more intense. In all aspects of life someone will always have more drive, you have to decide what is worth chasing, thus his mentioning of endurance. Man you can learn a lot with the words staring you down.

         And of course that beat is quite amazing, with Pete Rock on the track of course it is. Classic boom bip, where the drums carry the whole song. Little elements thrown into there to add some variety and that deep eery vibe. Something to bump late night in the city. And Nas singing on the hook, I love it. If you don't know I love when Nas sings, because when he sings off-key or whatever you wanna call it, everything is made easy. You can sing along so well, because anyone has that range ha ha. A nice sing-a-long. Woo, man what a great collaboration of efforts right here.