Ishmael Butler first found fame almost two decades ago as Butterfly, the main man of seminal rap crew Digable Planets. Now, after a silence lasting 15 years, he's back with his new outfit, Shabazz Palaces. Those expecting something similar to the Digable Planets smooth jazz-rap will be in for a shock; the sounds of the two groups have nothing in common. What Butler has done on Black Up is create something totally new and fresh. The production is murky, jittery and foreboding, and the juxtaposition of this with Butler's smooth voice and intelligent raps floating over it is hugely effective. Make no mistake, this album is not an easy listen - there are no choruses, the beats don't follow patterns and sometimes seem completely random - but it is a hugely rewarding one. In a hip hop environment where most artists seem to be doing the same thing, it's refreshing to hear a group being truly creative and doing something different to everything else that is out there.
Rating: 8/10
Top Tracks: Are You Can You Were You (Felt), Recollections of the Wrath
Release Date: 28 June 2011
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