After listening to CunninLynguists' newest album, "Oneirology," I was struck by two things: how very similar and yet how very different it was from CunninLynguists' previous work.
The album is relatively similar to what might be considered the group's traditional albums, which typically consist of crafty, introspective, lyrical quotes rapped over well-produced, melodic musical tracks.
Even so, this latest production transcends the hip-hop genre so extensively that it is difficult to review using terms traditionally used to describe hip-hop music.
The album's transcendence is immediately evident from the album cover art, which pictures a woman sleeping restlessly in a bed as her sheets—which appear to abstractly represent her nightmares—seem to be both comforting and terrifying the woman simultaneously.
The album is in fact titled, "Oneirology," which means the scientific study of dreams, and it has a meditative quality, where each song offers the relaxation of a dream but maintains a level of eeriness as well.
One way in which CunninLynguists are unsurprising in this new production is their mature breadth of musical knowledge.
Fans know, for instance, that one need look no further than CunninLynguists' debut album to find samples of Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto.
CunninLynguists employ this knowledge to their advantage in "Oneirology," where the palpable nature of the echoing synths, tremoring voices, and choral overtones all contribute to a slightly unnerving, yet comfortable dream world—a feeling similar to the one captured by the cover art.
In drawing comparisons, I would avoid other hip-hop albums and instead choose some of the psychedelic albums of the '60s and '70s. Songs like "My Habit (I Haven't Changed)" or "Get Ignorant" might be compared to the trippy choral and musical elements in the likes of The Beatles' "Magical Mystery Tour."
Yet "Oneirology" hardly fits in that genre either, since CunninLynguists stay committed to rapping with their accomplished lyrical wizardry.
The difference in this album is the extent to which the lyrics remain faithful to the interwoven theme of dreams and dream-states.
Even "Murder (Act II)," which might initially appear to be a typical hip-hop song about violence, illustrates in the chorus that it speaks merely about a hypothetical thought: "If I could get away with murder / I'd take my gun and I'd commit it."
The fact that CunninLynguists' reduce this line to a raw desire rather than a boastful story makes it all the more eerie and relevant.
The album itself is a heartfelt production and a fantastic example of how an album's complete package can be so much more than the sum of its individual songs. The debate over whether digital music retailers like iTunes should be allowed to sell individual tracks off albums like this one will have to remain suppressed for now.
Nevertheless, when you listen to "Oneirology" for the first time, I highly recommend you listen to it in its entirety instead of immediately picking out favorite tracks as we are often primed to do with many hip-hop releases.
Serge Severe on the Scene
The cause of the most recent buzz from Portland (Oregon, that is) is a rapper by the name of Serge Severe. His albums from 2006 and 2008 helped spread his name as a legitimate rapper on the scene with songs like "Bring the Horns."
But it is with the release of his newest album, "Back on My Rhymes," that Serge really soars to new heights. The beauty of Serge's sound is that he is reminiscent of old school '90s hip-hop, but he packages himself in a completely new way.
In line with the '90s, Serge's beats are simple, the rhyme schemes are packed with clever wordplay and metaphors, and Serge's voice is commanding and smooth. Yet, the blatant influences from jazz and funk are what give Serge his fresh spin on the old-school sound.
After listening to Serge, it is the trumpets that remain unforgettable in songs like "Can't Stop, Won't Stop (Feat. Braille)" and "Here Comes the Man."
I find Serge satisfying in that his rhymes are never wholly serious, pretentious or clichéd; he instead relies on clever wordplay to highlight his skills on the mic. You will not hear Serge boasting about his "bling," his girlfriends, or the rims on his car.
For those who love the old school hip-hop sound, Serge is the kind of rapper that makes you want to pump his music loud in the car and rap along once you get to know his smooth and crafty words.
If you threw the Wu Tang Clan into a time machine with a jazz band and had them make music together, Serge Severe might be the result.
Check out Serge's new album "Back on My Rhymes" and especially the song "Can't Stop, Won't Stop (Feat. Braille)."