| "When you think about it, it's not easy to keep from just wandering out of life. It's like someone's always leaving the door open to the next world. If you aren't paying attention you can just walk through it. And then you die." This brooding, conversational vocal sample, backed by a Sketches of Spain style bullfighting trumpet loop, introduces "Dream of Dying," the sixth track on Blue Sky Black Death's debut release on Mush Records. These words capture the spirit of the album, a sort of matter-of-fact contemplation correspondence between that which is perceived and the yawning maw of monstrous mystery that lies in wait behind every turn. Comprised of production duo Kingston and Young God, Blue Sky Black Death is the latest addition to Mush's stable of beatmaking talent. The first disc of A Heap of Broken Images is completely instrumental, a brooding collection of sloe-eyed, ponderous beats and polished, eerie instrumentation saprsely infused with perfectly-chosen vocal samples. The second disc is geared toward MCs, featuring the likes of Rob Sonic, Guru, Jus Allah, A-Plus (Hieroglyphics), and Mikah-9. These beats are more stripped-down, up-tempo, and rhyme friendly. They offer a fitting yang to the instrumental discs' yin. Make sure to check the bluesy "Floor Chalk (Best Reprise)" featuring Guru and Chief Kamachi, a street-level, east coast banger, and "Grimey Styles," a fiendishly stuttering blast of weirdness featuring the singular flow of Mikah-9. - Signal to Noise |
2XLP/Out Of Print