Man, I’ll tell you what. As far as producers and larger-than-life personalities go, very few, if any, can compare to this man. He has single handedly re shaped the definition of what ‘Underground Music’ stood for.
From the first Tripe Black Diamond to now, where he’s having one of the most legendary EP/Album drop runs in modern music history, he’s continuing to not only shape the culture but contribute to it. Of course, that man is none other than
AL DIVINO.
This is a 32-minute and 19-second album with 19 tracks and features the likes of
-Rahiem Supreme
-ObiJuan
-Estee Nack
As is the case with any Al album, the main talking point is the production (whether he’s the one producing it or not) because he’s always choosing the beats that best represent him and that are tailor-made for him. Which means beats that are ‘experimental, unpredictable, chaotic, and lawless’.
It’s the one aspect I love most about his albums is discovering what new flavour of adrenaline rush I’ll be treated to this time around, and for this record, we have Al in his most unhinged, empirical, and creative we’ve seen him, period.
What we have here is his trademark bag of distorted and manipulated jazz, funk, boom bap, and alt rap sounds but done only more than we’ve heard him do yet!
From that opening alt pop banger instrumental with those re-accruing synth chords to those distorted vocal pitches and various tones of guitar that muffle in and out, it’s the most satisfying and appropriate way for this album to start!
As the album continues, you hear more of those influences mentioned above but done in a more chaotically theatrical style that makes me think of if a supervillain had access to a studio and live orchestra and how that would come out!
Al is hip-hop’s scarecrow, and his doses of sonic toxins put down the weak who can’t handle the pressure and make minions out of those who can! Truly a twisted genius in his prime!
I love how each track feels like it’s alive in its own warped reality. Like each instrumental is under the influence, and what we hear as the audience is the songs themselves on a trip! Jay-Z made the song cry, Al is making the songs trip! This is truly one of Al’s most powerful expressions of taste yet, and considering his discography so far, that’s saying a lot!
As I mentioned above, Al only chooses the sounds that reflect himself, and that means alongside the beats, you also get one of the dark horses of the underground himself spitting on the mic. A man who has never compromised or filtered himself or his approach to the mic.
As soon as he gets on the mic, his raspy and aggressive tone comes in like an earthquake and destroys everything around it, and that’s the case here. He showcases his ruthless and dangerously unpredictable MC style with free-form flow, cryptic lyricism, and unwavering pen game and wordplay!
Whenever he spits on the mic, he ain’t rapping, he’s commanding! He’s channeling his inner hustler and forcing the audience and all his contemporaries to either sync with his wave or get the fuck out, no questions asked!
That’s why anyone he associates with (such as the features mentioned) all have perfect chemistry with the man himself. It’s because he sets the standards, and people follow! You’ll never hear a mediocre breath from him or anyone in his camp, and it’s that level of maintenance that makes him a household name!
Although it’s on YouTube now, if possible, please go cop the official WAV on the link I’ll provide below! This album is an absolute masterpiece!
The Serpent Tongue Reviews 