Obsidian : The Altered States LP
label: deepthinka

producers: rjd2, siege, heiku.

guests: mecca sunshine of amarah 8, analog & krossword of spittin image, illogic, inkwel, pdunbar, clover of amarah 8, iyan.
year of release: 2002
website: edotkom.net
 
We know many artists from Ohio. We know the Wanna Battle crew, the Weightless Family, MhZ, everyone on the "Bringing It Home" compilatoin, we know the 1200 Hobo members in Ohio, Cosmic Souls, etc, etc. But we still don't know everyone. So it seems with Edotkom sneaking up on us, very much from Ohio, but very much not on our radar previous to this release. But with the "Obsidian : The Altered States LP", they appear as one big dot on our screen, so big and so firmly intending to stay on it, that you'll rub the glass to check if there's not actually dirt on the screen, rather than this object really being there. But just there they are.
Well, not exactly as they have been around in Ohio for some time, what got them guest spots by the Weightless camp, and got 'em a beat from RJD2. And got 'em a spot on the Deep Thinka label, that regularly releases records that are just a little off to the regular. Different in the way that they are more technical and industrial than your normed average artist. What then gives their sound a harder edge and a grittier appearance that is as much a raised fist as it is a detailed painting of some futuristic spaceship. And this overly generalized statement on the Deep Thinka sound was inspired by the back catalogue rather than by Edotkom, because as we'll see they also move into different parts of the galaxy.

tracklisting
1. Blind Man's Eye
2. Invincible
3. Sabathia
4. I B4 E feat. Mecca Sunshine
5. Talk About
6. Manuscript H
7. Unrested

8. 11:47
9. Wiyan (performed by Iyan)
10. Time Rhyme (Part 1)
11. Obsidian
12. Time Rhyme (Part 2)
13. Rise feat. Anolog & Krossword
14. Clarity feat. Clover
15. Maveriks
16. Lead Posion
17. Weightless Eclipse feat. Illogic, Inkwel, Pdunbar
18. Invincible ~2
While at the beginning everything starts according to the thesis and even RJD2 leaves out much of his playful soul on "Blind Man's Eye", which at the same time is also the only track that was not produced by one of the two group members Siege and Heiku. "Invincible" also strikes to the machinery. But with all generalizations, there's the exceptions, or the cases, where your theory needs some mending to fit completely. One case is "Sabathia", where the strings are definitely more screeching than Love Unlimited Orchestra, thus still contain the expressed grit. As does the dramatic orchestration of "Obsidian". The theory then however crumbles in the eye of a "I B4 E" featuring Mecca Sunshine of Amarah 8 that oftentimes is jazzy and smooth or the summery and hopeful, both in music and lyrics "Manuscript H". With songs like these however, Earldotkom show that they are good producers, as well as well verses lyricist that know how to express their deep thoughts.
Or their braggadocio, like on "Unrested", where the beat features a dope whistling. And battling these two cats enjoy to do, therefore they continue on "11:47" and "Maveriks" and the tour de force with the Weightless family members Illogic, Inkwel and Pdunbar on "Weightless Eclipse". While a "I B4 E" or a "Time Rhyme (Part 1)" proves their story telling skill, with the latter again coming with an excellent Heiku beat. Who might just be responsible for more of the excellent beats, as on "Time Rhyme (Part 2)" it's again him that lets us listen up. Although he's also responsible for the somewhat empty "Rise". That impression is however only due to the sample being so drawn to the back. What then allows Siege to, uhm, siege the last word with his beat on "Invincible 2". With him hooking up organs, horns and keeping everything dirty, it would make Prince Rakeem proud.
With us then doing the math and the result being very obvious: the beats are good, with a lot of drama, steam and neck cutting traps, and the lyrics do everything we expect from hungry independent artists. Thus this new endeavor into the deeps and ends of Ohio once again let us return with a treasure.
review: tadah
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