Shabazz Palaces- Black Up ALBUM REVIEW
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- Опубликовано: 11 сен 2024
- Listen: • Shabazz Palaces - Swer...
On Black Up, Shabazz Palaces take hip hop deep into the left field with odd beats and surreal effects. It's definitely an indulgent LP that requires a little bit of effort from the listener, but repeating these songs until they completely unfold is worth the wait.
Part of me is sure this album is going to warrant a lot of comments like, " I don't usually listen to hip hop, but this is great!" But that shouldn't discourage people who listen to the genre more regularly to check it out. Though this album sounds like it came outta nowhere, the artists on it haven't. Lazaro's experience goes way back to the 90s hip hop outfit Digable Planets, but exactly which planet he's on with this album is a hard question to answer.
if you're a fan of the mutant expressions from artists such as Zeroh, Quasimoto, or Madvillain, check it out. Defintiely something the Stones Throw or Brainfeeder heads will love.
What do you think of this album? What should I review next, eh?
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FAV TRACKS: FREE PRESS AND CURL, AN ECHO FROM THE HOSTS THAT PROFESS INFINITUM, SWERVE... THE REEPING OF ALL THAT WORTHWHILE, YEAH YOU, YOULOUGY
LEAST FAV TRACK: ENDEAVORS FOR NEVER
SHABAZZ PALACES- BLACK UP / SUB POP / 2011 / HIP HOP
The classic days where fantano went outside for the intro...
Logan Phillips now he’s mounted to a wheelchair
Logan Phillips 2019 still feel that
dude never goes outside now
he said dijable
seriously! I almost turned the video off right there! I guess I'm old?
I really dij their stuff
Made me feel stupid for a second
In hindsight, this was easily the basis for a lot of what has came in 2017-2018 thus far. Recently started listening to this again, and I couldn't believe it was released in 2011. Top 10 of the decade easily. 9/10.
I think that’s not true. I think this album is so unique that not a lot of other albums sound like it even experimental hip hop. It’s it’s own thing, I wouldn’t say it was a sound other artists got inspired by it wasn’t
Way ahead of its time and maybe will always be
Lol dijable planets
*gasp* Bbama?!
Strong 10. All tracks are great. Best production on a hip hop record.
This album holds a place in my heart because of where I was and what I was going through in my teenage years, Butterfly always knew how to keep my confidence in myself up no matter what them corny niqqas say.
The analogies with exmilitairy and the glasses was brilliant.
This album is the freshest thing I've heard in years. Something about its weirdness feels so sincere... The way he delivers the lyric 'Clear some space out, so we can space out' has been stuck in my head since I heard it a few weeks ago. Strong 9/10 album for me
Easy 5 hip hop releases of the decade, maybe top 3. 9/10
I know this is late, but I read the last bit only, and thought you gave it a 3.9/10.
In hindsight, this is clearly a 9 at least. Even with Anthony's strict judgement.
You gotta review Reachin (A New Refutation of Time and Space) By Digable Planets for classics week at the end of this year.
this is on par with the money store surprised you didnt 10 it
huge agree
I totally forgot about this album this was the first vinyl I EVER got back in freshman year of high school. Idk how I forgot about this album I hadn’t heard it since like the year it came out but it jogged my memory I remember this album totally blowing my mind when I first heard it, I’ve heard alot of weird stuff but this gave me a more unique experience then even some like Beefheart or Zappa albums
This album is a fucking masterpiece
the voice on free press and curl makes me shiver, but i cant stop listenign to it
He is so enthusiastic. I miss him like this. Now he's a enterprise engine of sorts. No hate whatsoever - it's just time and refinement, I suppose. Hear, hear.
Love how you described the low end effect, the emphatic, crisp strikes, rather than reverberations. Incredible album, fantastic production for sure, and an so well crafted, full of attention to detail. His charisma and voice also hit me, as well as the wit and cleverness just oozing out of this album. Not a huge rap fan per se but this hit the spot for me. Great review as always.
Digging this album so much right now, cheers anthony.
@huamanJR agreed. what day in july is it dropping? what label?
@Monoslay I suppose, but there's been a lot of great hip hop this year. that excites me because i thought last year was a semi-dryspell. (Yeah, I know Kanye came out last year, ugh! Big Boi, too!) Besides, I'm really not reviewing that much hip hop.
@bleah678 nah, i don't want to, but thanks for understanding. i love you.
digable. as in are you able to dig. blowout comb one of the all time greatest records ever made. was down with you til you mispronounced digable.
Update:
Black Up: 9/10
Munkres' Topology, huh?
should've been a strong 9 or light 10
@eliville10 you're great, too!
I think this might be my favorite album
loved this album for years! revisited this review that initially sparked the fire when i recognised the voice on blowout comb (i have no idea how i missed that album all this time)
@vene777 i wouldn't say they do. they're both experimental, but i wouldn't say dalek is the strongest of comparisons.
Local Seattle fan here, seeing them at Easy Street later tonight. picked up the LP this morning and just finished listening to it. Pretty fantastic.
@bolomitejr sadly, i wasn't into it that much. not sure if i'm gonna review it. :-/
@nickisquik thank you! :-)
@MetalShin0bi Thanks for understanding.
I’m a rock guy so it’s odd that this is probably my favorite album of all time. ( And oddly enough, Butler and I graduated from the same high school, albeit four years apart.)
@CirculusVitiosusGr i have to spend some time w/that one. not sure if i'm gonna review it yet, but i've head it's been getting a lot of positive buzz.
The more and more I listen to this record the more I fall in love with it.
@TheMadvillainy Yuppers. Can't wait to see what this guy does next. He's a true talent in music, period.
@dapurpman totally!
I saw this video on your channel months ago, but never got it. I just finished listening to this album, and I HAD to come back and watch this to see what you had to say about it. You pretty much it spot on. This thing is truly something something special, and I forgot all about Palacier (sp?) being Butterfly from Digable Planets, which makes me love it even more.
Came to watch this review after seeing the newest review. If you add the scores of the double album you'd get the score for this one.
@Caligula138 because you're cool like that?
@thatbennyguy i sure did. it's like christmas in june!
@Creamy360 someone sounds excited!
I like it, it's like experimental hip hop/ rap, something I haven't heard before. Seems like it'd be sweet at a party. You should review the dø's new album Both Ways Open Jaws next. It's super good in my opinion, and if you like Beach House I think you'd like the dø, although they aren't as dreamy.
this is the first review of yours that ive actually loved.
@her0indragon glad you are! :-)
@AlexCollyard Couldn't agree with you more! P.O.S. is doing things that no one has ever done. Anthony, if you're reading this, if you haven't heard Never Better, I think you'll appreciate it.
This album is a lot different from what I normally like in hip hop (high energy party songs), but I liked it a lot despite that. It's unusual but that's part of what makes it interesting to listen to. Although I don't like some of the sounds on the album like on "A Treatease..." I really liked listening through this album overall.
@1337Ravage tell me about it!
@philippstosiek Yep, did that one. I wasn't terribly positive about it, tho. :-/
@armfarm let me know if it grows on you.
@titanium505 i'll give it a strong samiyam
"brilliant music has an edge to it (so slightly avant-garde) but also retains an accessible and beautiful element to it."
This describes Black Up.
Love this album "BLACK UP" by Shabazz Palaces. I would give it a 10/10
I think this is a good example of a rapper who can be great without shoving his technical skill in your face. Also loved the production on this album!
So underrated
@wecfa yes, the strangest party ever.
This ain’t a group you can real rate according to a hiphop scale which I think is part of their beauty. Their music says, “Eff your hiphop scale. We’ll take a zero because the zero is shaped like infinity.”
@notevenwordshere yeah, i felt "meh" on 6, too. i liked 3 more than 4, tho. DAMN THESE LONG SONG TITLES!
Some love has to be given for the album production. The first track, Free Press and Curl, opens so quietly it demands that you keep turning it up to the point that, when the bass drops, your walls shake. As Anthony noted, you need that volume to appreciate the textures; I just think it's worth noting that the album tell you that itself in the first 10 seconds.
Although Shabazz Palaces' beats do take a few listens to get used to, I think the album is going outside the box of hip hop, and it's pretty refreshing to hear a new take on the genre-pretty good, I'd give it a 7.
Please give that Marissa Nadler album a review, it's worth it.
Lil B's Im Gay just leaked. I originally hated him, but this album has some of the best production and rhymes I've heard off a rap album this year.
I'm sure Fantano will *Love* that Record
about the stretching of vocals. digable planets did that on both blowout comb and reachin'. so if you're familiar with digable planets, you have actually heard it before. can't wait to get deep into this LP. Really liked the two EP's he released some time ago, and at first listen this one sounded great as well.
BIG SEAN - FINALLY FAMOUS, a review would be aewsome thanks
Gloss Drop is the pink, gooey thing in the background. It's the most recent Battles album. Shabazz Palaces remixed White Electric from that album semi-recently; thought it was a nice touch to have it in the background.
stopped caring and bought it when you said if you like quasimoto.
this thing is awesome.
LORD QUAS!
@pimpinstein5 mmhmm?
@huglife1990 today it was.
@Monoslay I wasn't trying to start a fight. I'm a fan of hip hop and rock but I've struggled to find rock releases from this year that have tickled my fancy. I skipped the Antlers because I wasn't a fan of Hospice, but I might check it out. Thanks for the rec.
@scotricksen totes
@TheOriginalZero1 *hugs*
I love how many different ways you found to describe this album.
6:28 fandango in a nutshell
When you think about it Needle, a King's reign usually isn't too long and might come to an immediate end, hence the cutoff. While his Endeavors might not be too well thought or good, and that's why they clash? They both might have been done purposely.
@padpad10 Yep, did that one already. Enjoyed the heck out of it.
@lukepleaseshutup none. pronunciation is subjective.
Hey Mr. Needle Drop. I've been watching your videos for about a year. Love em. May I suggest something? Please don't put out 8 minute reviews. If you can say what you want to say in 5, do that. Anyone can go on and on about an album. But really good reviewers can communicate in fewer words.
Ish is always creative. I liked his previous band 'Cherrywine' too. That was some real trippy, psych funk/rock/hip-hop joint that was hard to classify.
New Shabazz Palaces kind of reminds me of Sun-Ra and Madlib at times, and even Shape Of Broad Minds, but it's interesting, that's for sure, and definitely in a league of its own.
2 months away from RHCP's new album... can't wait to see that review
@ashestoages nah, you've been right! they are in my top five favorite groups EVER. They say their name in their songs: Exhibit A) 3:52 of "Where I'm From" Ladybug says "Digable Planets got it goin onnnn." Yeah, it's DIG-able (hard G, not soft). I miss them so much.
@coyel yayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy
@Broyale26 i'm considering that one.
@cyclone927 t-shirt? hahah. no. i'll have to check him out. :-)
@Bradotopolis i'll check it out. :-)
@oBurNo Yo is this BurnThaEmos? sup dude? didn't know you had such a fucking great taste in music.
this album is the future of real hip hop, it may seem like an odd thing to say, but when Funcrusher Plus came out the ideas were just as abstract. Definitely my favorite hip hop album of 2011.
Good stuff. I notice you seem to like the more experimental hip hop stuff. Have you listened to Dälek?
This is an album I will be visiting a lot. I listened to it three times just today! One thing I've taken away from it on each listen is that the second half is much, much better than the first. The first couple tracks are great, and then it's rather meh on tracks 3-6, and then amazing to close out on the last four songs. Like I said, I'm intrigued enough to return, and I liked the album as a whole a little better each time. I wonder, though, if others thought the second half was much better.
Really digging this album but I view it more as an 'electronic' album than a 'rap' album because it seems to focus more on the varied glitchy productions that flow and lyricism. But regardless of genre tag its still a catchy interesting sonic adventure.
In other news: review Okkervil River - I Am Very Far por favor. It's been an album that I've been really into since release, but has got minimal attention. Please help make second wave indie folk relevant again. Please?
@lemonlimelukey it's the best i could do. :-P
listening to it right now... its fresh. i love the production on it, very intricate things happening on each track.
love the track you linked to, I will check this out for sure.
6:14; that's a sick verse! x)
@satan6rapes6god6 i can, but will i?
@chode095 totes
@listerfiend21 i like that word.
Luna Amara - "Don't Let Your Dreams Fall Asleep"
I've been stuck on illmatic and elmatic recently, so shabazz palaces might have to wait until winter until I can get into it. I don't know if summer is the best time for an album like this for me.
one of the best of the year for sure
Woo. Go Chris the intern. Great review!
its great to see how much thought you put into this
You should keep an eye on P.O.S. for his new album. If you like original production and beats, that guy is doing the right stuff.