Reviews
Black Milk
Before we delve headfirst into Black Milk’s third record, let’s take a moment to appreciate the man’s drums. Because I’ll be honest, I have a hard time believing there’s any hip-hop producer making better sounding beats right now. On his past two albums, ‘Popular Demand’ and ‘Tronic respectively’, Black Milk has brought a devastating live drum sound to the table, announcing himself as one of hip-hop’s most sought after producers. Given his ties to Detroit and Slum Village, It’s perhaps unsurprising that this has drawn J Dilla comparisons, but Black Milk is not trying to mimic Dilla’s sound. It’s true, the two share a raw approach to beatmaking, but even Jay Dee’s beats didn’t bang this hard.
With that said, it’s no surprise that the mischievously titled ‘Album Of The Year’ is another strong entry in Black Milk’s discography. This time around it’s live instrumentation throughout, as each track is rich with brass, strings and bass, as well as inevitably hard hitting drums. This is all showcased in lively opener ‘365’, before settling down into the album’s head bobbing lead single ‘Welcome (We Gotta Go)’. Considering its relatively slow pace, this was perhaps a surprising choice for a comeback single, but on the record it nicely precedes the first real banger. Remember what I was saying about drums? Look no further than ‘Keep Going’.
What’s also noticeable about the album is that Black Milk has upped his game as an MC. While still far from perfect in this department, there’s more variation, fewer clangers and the occasional moment of lyrical inspiration. One such moment falls on ‘Deadly Medley’, coming close to Royce Da 5’9″ as they trade verses, before Black Milk delivers the knockout punch, “My shit’s Martin Luther, your shit’s Martin Lawrence”.
While such a heavy reliance on live instrumentation means the beats aren’t as wild as on ‘Tronic’, ‘Album Of The Year’ pushes towards a different aesthetic. The use of brass brings an almost classic big band feel to some arrangements, while the brooding strings on ‘Black & Brown’ would make an awesome soundtrack for a ’50s gangster film. Although subtle, this change in direction took some getting used to, but in truth, Black Milk has just added another string to his bow. Whether or not this is in the same league as ‘Tronic’, I’m not sure, but it’s another fine record from a producer with the world at his feet.
Words: Kyle Ellison
‘Album Of The Year’ is out now on Fat Beats/Decon
