Devendra Banhart, Eric B. & Rakim....

Devendra Banhart - The Black Babies EP

If you have never listened to Devendra Banhart, you're likely to be startled by his beutiful and eerie acoustic melodies. His recordings are lo-fi and very intimate, creating an ethereal sound that many artists have attempted, but few succeed at mastering. The Black Babies EP is a collection of eight short songs, some of which appeared on Oh Me Oh My from the same label. He manages to develop a sound that is both complex and at the same time black in white in its simplicity. All songs are recorded on a four-track recorder and usually contain a high level of hiss. Banhart has claimed this is what happens when you don't know what you're doing, but it's apparent that this is his intent and it adds to the eccentric charm inherent on this EP.

In addition to the occassional crackle and whine, there are moments where you can hear a melange of murmurs eminating from the distant background, either by way of a passing car, a faint telephone ring, or what sounds like gunshots. The most important component of Black Babies, and all of Devendra's recordings, is the mellow and beautiful sound of his genre-defying voice.

Eric B. & Rakim - Paid in Full

On Paid in Full, the debut album by Eric B. and Rakim, the duo established themselves as a prominent force in a burgeoning NY hip-hop scene. Rakim, a rapper's rapper if there ever was one, is the Steven Segal of hip-hop (minus the gut, corny voice, and proclivity toward Native American garb): cool as steel, absolutely calm, absolutely deadly. His verbal assaults and rhythmic humor go hand-in-hand. He flows like Niagara Falls, stomping around the beat, galloping from one phrase to another, letting the words do the work. And as for Eric B... He comes up with some straightforward but effective backing tracks, favoring James Brown and 70's-era grooves, showcases his scratching prowess on a couple of nasty instrumentals, but all the while leaving room for the master to do his thing.