We respect artists that evolve. These creative minds are constantly moving in ways a lot of people can’t. If they’ve made a dope beat, then they are always moving forward to another beat, another sound, carving out more niches, never getting stale. Like a DJ who discovers MacDonald and Giles for the first time or Latin boogaloo LPs and decides to open up their record bag to other records besides breaks, these artists want to evolve as well. Because twenty years down the line when you look at their whole body of work you see how they have evolved fully. We have seen it in an artist like DJ Shadow, who was always compared to his Entroducing opus and criticized for always going into new, uncharted territories. Truth be told, dude has a solid career of longevity and is constantly innovating and reinventing himself. Such is the case on this release from The Reflecting Sea. Made up of super producer/ DJ/ emcee Damu The Fudgemunk and critically acclaimed artist Raw Poetic, The Reflecting Sea have dropped a full length that will definitely make it to best of lists for 2017. Always pushing forward with no mercy, both of these artists have taken their previous projects that were created with drum machines, samplers and the like and have put something out that utilizes these tools as well as live instruments, and runs the gamut from hip hop to rock to soul to jazz to electronica and beyond. “Freedom Funk Chant” with its jazz poetry, raw and expressive vocals and explosive rhymes is an example of just how effing live these cats get. It feels like a jazz performance; from the flow of Raw P to the keyboards throughout, one can wonder what this record performed live on stage would be like. It’s seven minutes of fury that elevates you to a higher plane. “Free Radicle”, a short electronic piece with blips and bleeps, and piano stabs runs right into “Master Plan”, a guaranteed up rocker that can’t not put a smile on your face. Tight rhymes and a super hot chorus on this track add to the ever present Damu production, audio collages, and cuts that supply the atmosphere throughout this whole record. “Think Back” picks up where “Master Plan” left off, another seven minutes of goodness that gives a nod to every one from Jimi Hendrix to Su Ra to your parents and everything else that has run through your past before the world determined your ways. Everyone who listens to this track can relate, and that’s another reason this record is dope. It’s not just layered with sounds, but with sage advice and experience that this duo lays down. It’s your decision whether or not you want to pick it up. If you’re smart, you’d not just listen, but hear what they are saying. The record closes out with “Calling”, a laid back groove that has our neck snapping and reminiscing of Mecca and The Soul Brother era drums and Umi Says vibes, and at ten minutes is most definitely a trip you need to take. The final side, “Raw Poetic’s Motif”, again has the signature top notch Damu production and sonic atmospheres that help it ride off into the sunset until the next studio session and next innvation. This record is definitely a Redefinition work out, upbeat and exploratory with audio landscapes, precise vocals and lyrics. A break from the everyday norm, you’ll find yourself revisiting this project again and again. Available in several vinyl packages, black and color vinyl, plus digital as well. It ships out around December 8th. Stream two tracks from the record below from their bandcamp page:

Get the record here.

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