Our brother Two Feathers is back with another review this time for the recently released joint album by Mudblood and Cymarshall Law, ‘Sui Generis’, now available. You can give that a read and check the project for yourself at the end. Enjoy!
A brand in the making
It’s been a while since I last reviewed Cymarshall Law, and I’d be lying if I said I haven’t been looking forward to it. On this new release, ‘Sui Generis’, Law teams up with Malagasy producer Mudblood for what I’m pleased to announce is a truly memorable pairing. The album name is a Latin term meaning “of its own kind; unique”. This couldn’t be a more appropriate title after listening to this project in its entirety. Law’s signature voice and creative, harmony laden cadences soar over Mudblood’s diverse beautiful soundscapes, creating a familiar classic Hip-Hop vibe with a modern artistic twist. The production truly sets the tone of this project. Twisting and turning from dark, haunting piano heavy ballads into hard hitting sample chops and heavy drums for some good old-fashioned bar sessions. On every track on the record, the combination of Law’s sing song staccato cadences fit perfectly alongside Mudblood’s imaginative scores. Cymarshall Law’s ability to paint a picture clearly and creatively is made infinitely more intriguing by the unique choices Mudblood makes when choosing sounds and crafting melodies. All of these things combine to create a fresh new take on a bygone era and while it does elevate and reimagine a familiar sound, it still retains a comforting nostalgia that will make any fan of classic Hip-Hop feel warm and tingly occasionally. The few well-placed features, for me most notably the lovely hook provided by collaborator KS, definitely help to inject new world flair and insight into a fairly traditional sound.
Moving on to the content of the project, like much of Law’s work, this is another emotional, introspective work of self-help literature. Law waxes poetic on subjects ranging from the importance of maintaining your mental health to deeper content like racial injustice. This is not to say however that there isn’t something for everyone. Law covers everything from love songs to braggadocios bars and heavy scratch hooks, and the faithful Mudblood never drops the ball on creating the perfect backdrop for each occasion. Perhaps my favorite song on this project is called, “Murder Mystery”. “Murder Mystery”, is a story told masterfully from the first-person perspective of a murder detective spinning a riveting tale about how Hip-Hop was “murdered” by outside influences surrounding its culture and corporate American greed. “So many suspects and I was tryna focus, I noticed, even money had his own motive” is just a great example of how Law approaches the concept and delivers it beautifully with Mudblood conjuring up Danny Elfman vibes on the dark and haunting piano melody the story is told over. Other stand out tracks include, “Demons Of Our Memory”, “A New World”, and the politically charged, “Say Their Names”.
Overall this project is a solid 8.5 out of 10. Memorable rhymes, minimal features, intriguing concepts, the sound quality has greatly improved since the last release I reviewed, and I genuinely feel that Law has continued to make strides in every facet of being a more complete artist. Mudblood definitely made herself known, and I can honestly say that out of 11 tracks there were only 2 beats I didn’t just love. Keep a look out for these two, because this is a brand in the making in indie Hip-Hop. I believe we will see them again, and I for one am looking forward to it
