Language Arts
label: syntax

producers: nickels, lojique

guests: sentry, ohmega watts, acts:29, braille

year of release: 2002
 
Upon receiving the Comunalien project, the name Nickels was prominently stored in our brain, simply due to the beats that he made for this, his other group, belong amongst some of the most refreshing, as well as surprising that we've heard in a while. Hence upon receiving the Lojique (read 'logic') album, Nickels other group, the hopes were high. We however can't compare the two projects, as with Comunalien Nickels only had one partner on his side (Reuben), who seemed to have liked a very specific type of style, that Nickels met so incredibly. On here, he's paired with Othello and Page One, who lean more towards a less deep, but more boom bap-ish style. So this is not Comunalien, this is "Language Arts", this is what we think of it.
On "Fellowship Of The Unashamed" Nickels is taking the beat to an area where there's more to the song than a mere bass and drum. Instead he hooks up an asian like instrument, to create something with more depth, that the two emcess use to spit verses that are proudly standing, without being braggadocios. They just include themselves in an elaborate club, canceling out the non-believers, what this time around describes a twofold of groups. "Global Epidemic" then grabs the evil at its core and ignorance is dissed in a similar fashion as is a rotten tooth pulled out. What then takes us to the first really, really good song, that's called "Methodical", a song where the beauty of Nickels' beats truly merges with the verses that always speak on real life concerns and actual reflections of the emcees. What also makes it easier to follow the message, as we can understand their thought pattern and relate, while not always agree, with the findings.

tracklisting
1. Rockashow feat. Sentry
2. Fellowship Of The Unashamed
3. Global Epidemic
4. Methodical
5. Eastern Sky
6. I Live It feat. Ohmega Watts
7. Case Logic
8. Instrumentalude pt. 1
9. Feisen Blue Yowd
10. Truth Decay feat. Acts:29
11. Broken
12. Language Arts
13. Off A Space (skit)
14. Panacea
15. Swallow Crow
16. Throne feat. Braille
17. You Don't Know The Half.com (Remix)
The hook of "Eastern Sky" then is so catchy that this song appears to be very pop, or better a strong cross over appeal, with the softness subtracting substance from the character's total. Moving back a couple of years in flavor, there's "I Live It" featuring Ohmega Watts, that then again dominantly speaks on the relationship to God, and their active Christian life. On "Instrumentalude pt. I" some live instruments are picked up, and the cats go for some lounge jam session, suddenly getting a Roots vibe going. We then get to another very melodic song, the "Feisen Blue Yowd". This song has an interesting guitar to it, that has you think of Alaska or somewhere cold, remote and. Wouldn't it be for the guitar being maybe looped two times too often, it would again show how nice Nickels is. Who's not just in this case takes the chorus into consideration, actually coming up with a light twist to his initial idea making the song. Lyrically the cats pretty much go for the lyrical. Period. Meaning these cats flow and flow a little more, and construct lines that are to impress, to then also sneak in links to giving praise.
"Truth Decay" with Acts:29 (Ohmega Watts, Braille and SoulPlasma) goes a different synthetic thump style, before on "Broken" Enya like singing is creating most of the emotion and depth. And again when the songs get toned down, and the right environment for it is a dark room, then Nickels is at his best. He's just melancholic enough to make something sad, that then is a very musical manifestation of a sunset: the end of a day, that is so beautiful, you forget it's implementation. Hence this style is quite obviously the right moment for the emcees to direct a prayer to their god. Next "Language Arts" is more upbeat in spirit, making this the track that will get the most response during a show. Nickels even finds the time to add a break and room for scratches, while on "Panacea" he's getting seriously jazzy. Braille is being welcomed on "Throne", where the praise is sung and the piano is rolling. And finally, the album ends with one of the few songs that struggle from weak beats: "YouDon'tKnowTheHalf.com (Remix)" that only gets dope during the chorus. But "Case Logic" is rather ugly, and "Swallow Crow" just unspectacular.
While maybe too much attention has been with Nickels beats, with someone as talented in front of you, it's only logic that the rest of the team is somewhat reduced to passers. However though, the best beat only sounds weak with wack emcees on it. So with Othello and Page One coming with intelligent lyrics, they are also good, because the more you talk about something that really means a lot to you, the better your verses inevitable are. And to go full circle: with good lyrics, mediocre beats only sound better. With these beats however being much more than mediocre, well, you do the math.
review: tadah
» back to top
: .   © 2000 - 2012.08 by urban smarts | contact