I can tell you right off the bat, very rarely does a project’s opening track pull me in as much as this one did! Call it intuition, call it a sixth sense of doing over 800 reviews this year, but I feel that I can tell an artist’s worth and quality before I even click play just by talking and communicating with the artist, and I knew without a shadow of a doubt that this record was going to be something I wouldn’t forget, and looks like I was once again, CORRECT. Let’s talk about why!
This is the brand-new record by producer Clifton Neal, and on this occasion, he brings with him a monstrous roster such as:
– Estee Nack
– Here$ Johnny
– Tha God Fahim
– JRed The Doctor
– El Camino
– Don Hundred
– Snotty
And let me tell you, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a stronger set than these men right here, and that’s because every man on this list is an underground kingpin of their own lanes, and to see them all on one record is INSANE!
I want to focus on production first before my god does this man absolutely fucking KILL IT! And I’m talking right from the first few seconds of the record with that magnificent intro that literally gave me goosebumps! It has that early, mid-2000s early Kanye West soul feel to it that shook my bones and ears alike!
With those gorgeous vocal samples that evolve into an A cappella choir-type vibe until the track unfolds, and then we get this beautiful rhythm that I honestly never wanted to end!
It felt like the sonic equivalent of a warm summer’s day with fresh green grass and an ocean peacefully waving on the seaside; it was the PERFECT OPENER!
And to somehow match that with a grand slam of a beat that has plucked strings, Phil Colin’s reminiscent drums, and these beautifully executed chords that all come together like a hit track you’d hear in the 80s!
And ON TOP OF THAT, YOU ADD FUCKING ESTEE NACK TO THE MIX? That’s overkill in the highest degree, and it’s an absolute banger of a track!
Every song on here feels like a perfectly scored instrumental that is cinema quality. All structured with finesse and a theatrical aura that every producer wants to achieve but very few hit the mark. This man is working on it! The only other producers I can think of right now that hit his level of grand, angelic notions would be Bone Weso and AbbotJackson! But otherwise, he’s on a whole new level!
Even if we look at the track ‘Fingers Crossed’ with those magnificently strung chords that feature that groovy vocal harmony loop and light jazz-inspired drums that are ever so subtly going off in the background!
And then to add the perfect contrast to this smooth beat to have a powerhouse icon of Here$ Johnny on the case is a ridiculously wonderful thing and a track that I can definitely see myself replaying over and over!
Everyone on this album and the beats sync perfectly, but one track I wanted to point out is the outro ‘Take Notes’ with that Jazz/Soul extravaganza. Two of my favourite sub-genres fused with rap, and this is a masterclass. You’ve got those fantastic strings over those low-key piano keys that are ever so gentle and caressing over the instrumental, and that ending vocal harmony it all comes together with a sprinkle of violin that takes the cherry on the cake.
Not to mention the fact that Umbrella soldier Snotty was on the case, and he absolutely KILLED the track with his undeniable aura and skill on the mic!
I think the MC’s speak for themselves. I wouldn’t be glossing over them if they weren’t in legendary status, and every single name on this record is! You’ve got the heaviest hitters in the game giving their absolute best to making this record special and divine, and they do that 10x fold! They were the definition of brilliant across this album, and every song was fire, every last verse, word, and breath in the mic!
I can’t even choose a favourite because they all went hard, from opener Estee to Closer, Snotty to the charisma of Here$, to the swagger of Fahim, there wasn’t an opportunity for a weak verse, even if Clifton tried!
From the features to the marvellous production, every song is hit, play in the club, top of the charts worthy. Add them all together on one album? And you’ve got fucking magic!
https://therealcliftonneal.bandcamp.com/album/goin-off-the-cliff-vol-1
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