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Pan Amsterdam - Panarama LP
  • A1: Old Friend (Feat. Nick Zinner, Brad Truax, and Leron Thomas)
  • A2: Cutlery (Feat. Spice Programmers)
  • A3: Hot Potato (Feat. Spice Programmers)
  • A4: Vanilla Ice (Feat. 1FS)
  • A5: Szechuan Beef (Feat. 1FS)
  • A6: Pan Out (Feat. 1FS)
  • A7: Itchy Cashews (Feat. AnOtter)
  • A8: Impossible Meat (Feat. Mr.Shn)
  • B1: Shuriken (Feat. AnOtter)
  • B2: Unseasoned (Feat. AnOtter)
  • B3: Drunken Noodles (Feat. Mr.Shn)
  • B4: Plantain De Negro (Feat. Spice Programmers)
  • B5: Blushing (Feat. Leron Thomas)
  • B6: Stingray (Feat. Leron Thomas)
  • B7: Deep Fried Shiney Things (Feat. Leron Thomas)
  • B8: This Coverband Rules (Feat. Nick Zinner, Brad Truax, and Leron Thomas)
DFPR34LP
Def Presse
12inch16.10.202616.OCT.26

Hip-HopFunkSoulHip-Hop

Trumpeter, rapper and sonic wanderer Pan Amsterdam has carved out one of the most distinctive voices operating at the intersection of jazz and hip-hop today.

Pan Amsterdam is a musical enigma wrapped in an enduring riddle. His creator is a jazz musician from Houston who’s found fame working with Detroit punk rock God, Iggy Pop, and British indie royalty, Metronomy, and now makes shapeshifting, adventurous hip hop out of the music’s spiritual home, New York.

He’s an irreverent character born out of frustration and named after a misunderstanding, yet one who’s on the verge of releasing his fifth album of truth-slaying, genre-crossing rhymes and beats. The result is a catalogue that feels both deeply rooted in Black American musical tradition and completely untethered by convention.

Pan Amsterdam returns with ‘Panarama’, his fourth full length album and a bold reassertion of his hip hop identity, released via Def Pressé. Created by Houston-born, New York-based musician and composer Leron Thomas, the record finds Pan Amsterdam embracing the harder edges of his sound while continuing to blur the lines between jazz improvisation, abstract rap, punk attitude, and experimental production

Written as a response to contemporary life and the endless cycle of information, conflict and distraction that defines modern culture, ‘Panarama’ unfolds as a stream of consciousness journey through hyper-normalised realities. Across sixteen tracks, Thomas navigates social commentary, personal reflection, absurdist humour, and cultural critique, delivering his observations with the same spontaneity and freedom that have become central to the Pan Amsterdam project

Lead single ‘Szechuan Beef’, produced by acclaimed collaborator 1FS, serves as one of the album’s defining statements. Built around Thomas’ signature free-flowing delivery, the track explores the overwhelming nature of contemporary life, where domestic conflict, social division, entertainment scandals and political discourse become flattened into a constant stream of content.

In Thomas’ own words: “My stream of consciousness style comes quite naturally to me due to the conditioning of scroll down culture where everything, no matter how minor or extreme, is hyper normalised.”

Elsewhere, the track ‘Vanilla Ice’ was written in response to widely publicised ICE killings and the speed at which tragedy is absorbed and forgotten within online culture. Thomas channels the anxiety and emotional disorientation of endlessly consuming information, allowing his thoughts to unfold in real time as social commentary collides with everyday digital noise. The result is both deeply personal and sharply observational, reflecting the fragmented reality of modern life. Other album highlights include the cinematic, Interpol-esque opener - ‘Old Friend’ complete with shimmering guitar lines and an far-reaching introspective, no-filter vocal as Thomas teams up with Nick Zinner (Yeah Yeah Yeahs) and Brad Truax (Interpol) across multiple tracks, often the production traverses left-field indie territory, but always maintaining Pan Amsterdam’s unique musical identity throughout. For the hip hop purists and beats lovers there are plenty of riches to discover from the clever nostalgic sample flips of ‘Cutlery’, the sleepy lofi of ‘Shuriken’ and the wonky LA beat scene / early Flying Lotus era beats of ‘Drunken Noodles’ - all boasting quick witted lyricism. ‘Deep Fried Shiney Things’ explores early electro and industrial sonics while album finisher is an upbeat new wave / indie band cut which sees Thomas take a break from rapping, but of course never letting up on the sharp observations nonetheless


While his previous record explored more alternative territory, ‘Panarama’ marks a deliberate return to rap, as Pan Amsterdam explains:

“I just wanted to do a rap album again.I enjoyed making my last album, but I felt like rapping again. I like to have the freedom to move in between musical worlds that suit the current state I’m in. Frequency accommodating frequency.”

This philosophy runs throughout the album. Tracks move effortlessly between jazz-inflected arrangements, experimental beats, punk energy and underground hip hop aesthetics, allowing ideas to evolve organically rather than conforming to traditional structures. Thomas describes himself as an improviser first and foremost: “I think like an improvisor. That’s how my albums pretty much move. It’s improvisation.”

Featuring additional contributions from Spice Programmers, AnOtter and Mr. Shn, ‘Panarama’ presents a wide-ranging cast of collaborators while remaining firmly rooted in Thomas’ singular creative vision. The record embraces contradiction, humour and unpredictability, capturing fleeting thoughts and observations with the same freedom and spontaneity that define jazz improvisation itself.

A musical enigma wrapped in an enduring riddle, Pan Amsterdam has built a reputation as one of contemporary music’s true outsiders. The project emerged from frustration, experimentation and artistic freedom, with Thomas drawing equally from his background as a jazz musician and his collaborations with artists including Iggy Pop and Metronomy. Operating from New York while carrying the spirit of Houston’s musical heritage, Pan Amsterdam has developed a distinctive voice that sits comfortably between avant-garde jazz, underground hip hop and experimental music.

Reuniting with Def Pressé for ‘Panarama’, Thomas explores what he describes as the more hardcore side of his artistic identity:

“They let me do anything and everything I wanna do so long as it’s on audio, and I need that freedom. What may verbally be perceived as vulgar to one group of people may be very thoughtful and a poignant description of the times that we’re presently in, so I’m glad that I’m part of a label home that understands that.”

pre-order now16 Oct

expected to be published on 16 Oct

28,15 €
Tripmastaz - Def Murky
ADAM023
Adams Bite
exclRelease unknown

HouseDeepMinimalTech

WeRdaHouse’ opens the project, laying down snaking subs, skippy drums, bubbling arpeggio lines and gritty stab sequences all dynamically evolving throughout. ‘Don’t U Kno’ follows next and reduces things down to swaying dub chords, jazzy keys, low slung drums and choppy bass stabs.

‘Gluten Morgen’ opens the flip side, a loop-led groove fuelled by organic percussion, squelchy 303 licks, frenzied, delayed keys and mind-bending spoken word chants. Title track ‘Def Murky’ then concludes the EP,
diving deep into oscillating synth tones, modulating percussion, crisp drums and a warped, afterhours
aesthetic.

pre-order now

Pre-order now

12,56 €
Jhené Aiko - Westside Whimsy (2x12")
  • 1: Wild Cat(s)
  • 2: Ghost
  • 3: Break
  • 4: Love Bomb w/ Ab-Soul
  • 5: Ceiling (Freestyle)
  • 6: Nothing Nice To Say
  • 7: He Belongs
  • 8: Like, Whatever feat. Tyga
  • 9: You
  • 10: Don't Be That Guy
  • 11: Lullaby
  • 12: Neighbors feat. Larry June
  • 13: Mine
  • 14: So Good feat. Kendrick Lamar
  • 15: Beach Boy
  • 16: Unicorn
  • 17: I Don't Mind
  • 18: Nami's Haiku
  • 19: A Living Light
  • 20: Golden Coast feat. OHMA
6159778
Def Jam
12inch29.01.202729.JAN.27

Hip-HopR & BPop

Jhené Aiko’s highly anticipated fourth studio album, Westside Whimsy, pressed on 2LP standard black vinyl and packaged in a 12" gatefold jacket with LP insert

pre-order now29 Jan 2027

expected to be published on 29 Jan 2027

32,98 €
Dizraeli - Joy Machine LP
DFPRROM24LP
Def Presse
12inch19.07.202419.JUL.24

Hip-HopHip-HopPopJazz

Recorded almost entirely in a single day at the legendary Total Refreshment Centre in London, JOY MACHINE brings together some of the most exciting musicians in London’s new jazz explosion. With features from Alabaster DePlume and trumpeter Jonathon Enser (Nubiyan Twist), vocals from Dizraeli (Worldwide Music Awards Best Album nominee), drums from Ben Brown (Alfa Mist, Mulatu Astatke), bass from uk jazz scene favourite Daisy George, synths from Joseph Costi (Yusef Cat Stevens, Bahla) and saxophone from free jazzer Ronan Perrett.



In the tradition of Miles Davis’s Bitches Brew, the band came to the studio in October 23 with only one pre-written track (the uplifting summer anthem Greek Summer) and once that was recorded, spent the rest of the day improvising wild, explosive music laced with Dizraeli’s rap and spoken word lyricism. The result is JOY MACHINE, a record bursting with urgency, intensity and life, and one that cements Dizraeli’s position as an innovative wordsmith, bringing both personal depth (as in Abigail, a homage to the sister who died before he was born) and fierce political commentary (as in Dear Cousin, a goosebumps-inducing narrative that transports the listener aboard the boat Adriana carrying refugees across the Mediterranean, which sank in June 2023 drowning 500 people, and then confronts a very English bigot in the second verse).

In StockReady to ship

Ready to ship

27,31 €
Rush - The Spirit Of Radio: Greatest Hits 1974-1987
6119897
Island Def Jam
12inch02.10.202602.OCT.26

PopRock

Die besten Aufnahmen von Rush in einer Zusammenstellung, die die legendäre Karriere der Band von 1974
bis 1987 beleuchtet. Gepresst auf 180-Gramm-schwarzem Vinyl als 2-LP-Set.

pre-order now02 Oct

expected to be published on 02 Oct

33,40 €
Mos Def - The Ecstatic (Tape)
 
8
also available

Vinyl[32,35 €]


RSECASS395
Rhymesayers Entertainment
Cassette14.08.202614.AUG.26

Hip-HopHip-HopRap

Originally released in June 2009, The Ecstatic stands as a defining artistic statement from Mos Def (now known as yasiin bey) — a richly textured return to form that reaffirmed his status as one of hip-hop’s most adventurous and intellectually engaged voices. Arriving a decade after his celebrated debut Black on Both Sides, the album was widely regarded as his strongest work in years, earning near-universal praise for its lyrical breadth, eclectic production, and thematic ambition.

Musically, The Ecstatic weaves a global sonic tapestry shaped by an array of forward-thinking producers including Madlib, J Dilla, Oh No, Preservation, Mr. Flash, Chad Hugo (of The Neptunes), and Georgia Anne Muldrow. The resulting soundscape is both rooted in hip-hop tradition and unbound by genre, integrating elements of jazz, soul, Middle-Eastern inflection, and experimental sample work. Tracks like “Supermagic” and “Twilite Speedball” establish a vibrant, restless energy that mirrors the album’s expansive creative scope.

Lyrically, yasiin bey traverses personal, political, and philosophical terrain with characteristic incisiveness, confronting social inequality, Western imperialism, and questions of cultural identity with poetic urgency. Embracing risk and complexity rather than nostalgia, The Ecstatic remains a mature, deeply felt body of work whose ambition, depth, and enduring resonance have solidified its place as a standout entry in Mos Def’s catalog and in modern hip-hop history.

pre-order now14 Aug

expected to be published on 14 Aug

20,59 €
Mos Def - The Ecstatic (2x12")
RSELPC1395
Rhymesayers Entertainment
2x12inch11.08.202611.AUG.26

Hip-HopHip-HopRap

,The Ecstatic", das ursprünglich im Juni 2009 erschien, gilt als wegweisendes künstlerisches Statement von Mos Def (heute bekannt als Yasiin Bey) - ein facettenreiches Comeback, das seinen Status als eine der abenteuerlustigsten und intellektuell engagiertesten Stimmen des Hip-Hop bekräftigte. Das Album erschien ein Jahrzehnt nach seinem gefeierten Debüt ,Black on Both Sides" und wurde weithin als sein stärkstes Werk seit Jahren angesehen; es erntete nahezu einhelliges Lob für seine lyrische Bandbreite, die vielseitige Produktion und den thematischen Anspruch. Musikalisch webt ,The Ecstatic" einen globalen Klangteppich, der von einer Reihe zukunftsweisender Produzenten geprägt ist, darunter Madlib, J Dilla, Oh No, Preservation, Mr. Flash, Chad Hugo (von The Neptunes) und Georgia Anne Muldrow. Die daraus entstehende Klanglandschaft ist sowohl in der Hip-Hop-Tradition verwurzelt als auch genreübergreifend und integriert Elemente aus Jazz, Soul, nahöstlichen Einflüssen und experimenteller Sample-Arbeit. Tracks wie ,Supermagic" und ,Twilite Speedball" strahlen eine lebendige, rastlose Energie aus, die den weitreichenden kreativen Spielraum des Albums widerspiegelt. Textlich durchstreift yasiin bey mit seiner charakteristischen Schärfe persönliche, politische und philosophische Themen und setzt sich mit poetischer Dringlichkeit mit sozialer Ungleichheit, westlichem Imperialismus und Fragen der kulturellen Identität auseinander. The Ecstatic setzt eher auf Risiko und Komplexität als auf Nostalgie und bleibt ein ausgereiftes, tief empfundenes Werk, dessen Ehrgeiz, Tiefe und anhaltende Resonanz seinen Platz als herausragender Eintrag im Werk von Mos Def und in der modernen Hip-Hop-Geschichte gefestigt haben.

out of Stock

Last delivered 33 days ago
available to reorder, subject to availability

32,35 €
MADMADMAD - Overload EP
  • A1: Overload
  • A2: The Way
  • A3: Mezcal
  • B1: Tout Le Monde
  • B2: Turn It Up
  • B3: Big Fizz
DFPR37EP
Def Presse
12inch24.07.202624.JUL.26

PopElectronica

MADMADMAD’s EP “Overload” is a thrillingly chaotic, genre-warping ride —think Mr Oizo on acid— that fuses fuzzy basslines, jagged guitars, and analog synth delirium into a dancefloor-ready collage of sound. From the Kraftwerk-tinged pulse of “Overload” to the acid-soaked, breakneck energy of “The Way” channeling The Chemical Brothers or Gesaffelstein, the record constantly shape-shifts while maintaining a raw, propulsive core. Tracks like “Mezcal” drift into hypnotic, minimal grooves reminiscent of Aphex Twin, while “Tout le Monde” and “Turn It Up” inject playful, off-kilter funk inspired by Tom Zé, Prince, ESG, and Beck. The title track closes on a high with a gritty, disco-infused groove nodding to early Daft Punk. Across the EP, MADMADMAD embrace disorientation as an artistic statement, drawing inspiration from Dadaism to mirror the overwhelming, information-saturated chaos of modern life.

pre-order now24 Jul

expected to be published on 24 Jul

25,00 €
Def Jam - Forward (2x12")
  • A1: Jadakiss– Why
  • A2: Jeezy– My President
  • A3: Public Enemy– Fight The Power 4:43
  • A4: DMX– Slippin' 5:04
  • B1: Bobby Sessions– The Hate You Give
  • B2: Logic – America
  • B3: YG– FDT
  • B4: Slick Rick– Behind Bars 3:23
  • B5: Common, John Legend– Glory 4:32
  • C1: Fabolous, Jadakiss, Teyana Taylor– Talk About It 4:36
  • C2: Yung Cassius– Condemnation 2:52
  • C3: Nas– Daughters 3:20
  • C4: Big Sean– One Man Change The World
602435331096
Def Jam
2x12inch21.07.202621.JUL.26

Hip-HopHip-Hop

pre-order now21 Jul

expected to be published on 21 Jul

13,03 €
Logic - Bobby Tarantino (10th anniversary)
5734519
Def Jam
12inch26.06.202626.JUN.26

Hip-HopHip-Hop

Ein Jahrzehnt später erscheint „Bobby Tarantino“ erstmals offziell auf Vinyl. Diese zum 10-jährigen
Jubiläum veröffentlichte Pressung ist die erste physische Ausgabe von Logics gefeiertem Mixtape.

pre-order now26 Jun

expected to be published on 26 Jun

23,11 €
Ne-Yo - In My Own Words (20th Anniversary) LP 2x12"
8803994
Def Soul
2x12inch19.06.202619.JUN.26

Hip-HopR & BSoulPopBlues

„In My Own Words“ ist eine Hommage an herausragendes lyrisches Storytelling, echte Emotionen und
geschmeidige Choreografien, die jeden Song unterstreichen. Obwohl Ne-Yo bereits als Songwriter für
andere erfolgreich war, machte ihn das 2006 erschienene Album „In My Own Words“ der Welt als Künstler
bekannt. Mit Hitsingles wie „So Sick“, „Sexy Love“ und „When You’re Mad“ stellte dieses Album nicht
nur sein erstaunliches Songwriting, sondern auch sein unglaubliches Gesangstalent unter Beweis. NeYos Debütalbum war ein kommerzieller Erfolg, erreichte Platin-Status und etablierte ihn als einen der
einflussreichsten R&B-Künstler dieser Ära.

out of Stock

Last delivered 3 months ago
available to reorder, subject to availability

27,94 €
Def Leppard - Greatest Hits
5744587
Mercury Studios
12inch12.06.202612.JUN.26

PopRock

Def Leppard, Großbritanniens größte Arena-Rock-Band, präsentiert die neu gemasterte „Greatest Hits
Sammlung auf einer schwarzen 180-g-Heavyweight-Vinyl-LP. Mit den größten Hits der Band, darunter
„Pour Some Sugar On Me“, „Hysteria“ und „Photograph“.

pre-order now12 Jun

expected to be published on 12 Jun

25,63 €
Theophilus London, Kungs - Out Loud
7855575
Island Def Jam
12inch15.05.202615.MAY.26

HouseElectronicaPop

D: Das mit Spannung erwartete neue Album von Kungs, ”Out Loud”, verspricht ein bedeutendes und
vielseitiges Werk zu werden. Es verbindet Rock-, Disco- und elektronische Klänge, genau wie die erste
Single ”Light Me Up”. Dieses Album mit 10 Titeln enthält überraschende Kollaborationen und präsentiert
den einzigartigen Stil des Künstlers.
F: Le nouvel album très attendu de Kungs, Out Loud, s’annonce comme une sortie majeure et éclectique. Il mêle rock, disco et sons électroniques, à l’image du premier single Light Me Up. Cet album de
10 titres réserve des collaborations surprises et met en valeur le style unique de l’artiste. Pour les collectionneurs, l’édition vinyle est une véritable œuvre d’art : son artwork exclusif est imprimé sur du papier
métallisé miroir, avec le titre de l’album en relief. ”Out Loud” est également disponible en CD dans une
édition collector qui est présentée dans un digisleeve 3 volets haut de gamme. Son artwork exclusif, imprimé
sur du papier métallisé miroir et estampillé du titre de l’album, en fait un véritable bijou, tout comme le
vinyle.

out of Stock

Last delivered 4 months ago
available to reorder, subject to availability

34,03 €
Lipphead - The Long Way LP
DFPR33LPC
Def Presse
12inch03.04.202603.APR.26

Hip-HopFunkHip-Hop

A GOOD FUN record, the new album from Lipphead – aka the collaborative NYC duo consisting of the producer Tony Simon (Blockhead) and Eliot Lipp – will be the group’s 3rd official full- length, having released the first two records via Detroit’s Young Heavy Soul label.

Lipphead’s music occupies the sweet spot between Blockhead’s groovy, sample-based hip- hop and Eliot Lipp’s upbeat electronic funk. The duo have performed live at select festivals throughout North America and are booked to tour this album, 17 dates in the US starting right after release, April 3rd. European/UK festivals are confirmed in the summer and are waiting to be announced.

The internationally renowned NYC producer Tony Simon—aka Blockhead—has released 15 albums over the past 15 years, including four acclaimed records for Ninja Tune and numerous production jobs including notable works with Aesop Rock. He is regarded as one of the modern masters of instrumental hip-hop and has more recently been releasing music on other platforms like Future Archive Recordings and Backwoodz Studios.

Eliot Lipp is an electronic musician based in Brooklyn, New York. His work was picked up by Scott Herren of Prefuse 73 (Warp Records) after Herren heard him working the club circuit. In 2004, Lipp released his first studio album, S/T, with Eastern Developments Music, a label owned by Warp Records. Lipp has also released music with Pretty Lights Music and his own label Old Tacoma Records.

“Our process for this album was very much "Take this, and add to it" . We both made beats and sent them to the other to add things to. Eliot would generally start the arrangement process and then I'd come in and give my two cents. Gotta say, these Lipphead albums generally come together seamlessly . We definitely have a simple flow and method as to how we create things together, even though the "together" part comes at the end.” - Blockhead

“This is definitely the goofiest record so far. I imagine Lipphead did a little too much doomscrolling between ‘From The Back’ and this one, based on all the meme samples sprinkled throughout.

One difference this time around was that we made way more music than what ended up coming out. It was tough to figure out how to fit it all on one LP, we’ll definitely have some leftovers to drop later on.” - Eliot Lipp

pre-order now03 Apr

expected to be published on 03 Apr

27,69 €
Lipphead - The Long Way LP
  • 1: Bayou Sexual
  • 2: The Long Way
  • 3: Wet my Whistle
  • 4: Enter the Ricola Man
  • 5: Lightwork
  • 6: Guano Be Startin’ Smethin’
  • 7: Inbred & Butter
  • 8: Candyman
  • 9: Felix Navidaddy
  • 10: Oh Face Killa
  • 11: Mugsy Bogues
  • 12: Castlegar
  • 13: Virginity
also available

blue vinyl[27,69 €]


DFPR33LP
Def Presse
12inch03.04.202603.APR.26

Hip-HopFunkHip-Hop

A GOOD FUN record, the new album from Lipphead – aka the collaborative NYC duo consisting of the producer Tony Simon (Blockhead) and Eliot Lipp – will be the group’s 3rd official full- length, having released the first two records via Detroit’s Young Heavy Soul label.

Lipphead’s music occupies the sweet spot between Blockhead’s groovy, sample-based hip- hop and Eliot Lipp’s upbeat electronic funk. The duo have performed live at select festivals throughout North America and are booked to tour this album, 17 dates in the US starting right after release, April 3rd. European/UK festivals are confirmed in the summer and are waiting to be announced.

The internationally renowned NYC producer Tony Simon—aka Blockhead—has released 15 albums over the past 15 years, including four acclaimed records for Ninja Tune and numerous production jobs including notable works with Aesop Rock. He is regarded as one of the modern masters of instrumental hip-hop and has more recently been releasing music on other platforms like Future Archive Recordings and Backwoodz Studios.

Eliot Lipp is an electronic musician based in Brooklyn, New York. His work was picked up by Scott Herren of Prefuse 73 (Warp Records) after Herren heard him working the club circuit. In 2004, Lipp released his first studio album, S/T, with Eastern Developments Music, a label owned by Warp Records. Lipp has also released music with Pretty Lights Music and his own label Old Tacoma Records.

“Our process for this album was very much "Take this, and add to it" . We both made beats and sent them to the other to add things to. Eliot would generally start the arrangement process and then I'd come in and give my two cents. Gotta say, these Lipphead albums generally come together seamlessly . We definitely have a simple flow and method as to how we create things together, even though the "together" part comes at the end.” - Blockhead

“This is definitely the goofiest record so far. I imagine Lipphead did a little too much doomscrolling between ‘From The Back’ and this one, based on all the meme samples sprinkled throughout.

One difference this time around was that we made way more music than what ended up coming out. It was tough to figure out how to fit it all on one LP, we’ll definitely have some leftovers to drop later on.” - Eliot Lipp

pre-order now03 Apr

expected to be published on 03 Apr

27,69 €
THE ROOTS - Undun LP
  • A1: Dun
  • A2: Sleep
  • A3: Make My feat Big Krit & Dice Raw
  • A4: One Time feat Phonte & Dice Raw
  • A5: Kool On feat Greg Porn & Truck North
  • A6: The Otherside feat Bilal Olivier & Greg Porn
  • B1: Stomp feat Greg Porn
  • B2: Lighthouse feat Dice Raw
  • B3: I Remember
  • B4: Tip The Scale feat Dice Raw
  • B5: Redford (For Yia-Yia & Pappou) (Redford Suite)
  • B6: Possibility (2nd Movement)
  • B7: Will To Power (3rd Movement)
  • B8: Finality (4th Movement)
6788928
Def Jam
12inch24.03.202624.MAR.26

PopAlternativeIndie

Undun is the story of a man, Redford Stevens, dying in reverse, rewinding from the moment he became a statistic and hitting the points in his life where he's at his most self-aware. That he's a criminal who got caught up in the familiar street-hustle trappings that the modern media's documented countless times is a pivotal detail-- it's hit at an angle that seems to emphasize the futile inevitability of it all. His life could be any number of misdirected narratives that ends with a toe tag, and what details listeners learn about him are hazy, buried under archetypal turns of fate and decisive struggles. That this protagonist is a fictionalized composite of a handful of real people, filtered through a matter-of-fact narrative that splits character ambivalence with journalistic impartiality, only makes his lack of direction and the failure of any real closure stand out even more. "Lotta niggas go to prison," Dice Raw states on "Tip the Scale", "how many come out Malcolm X?"

So the Roots' latest album isn't a sprawling, rise-and-fall crime story, not a condemnation or a veneration of a man living outside the law, not a bullet-riddled grand guignol heavy on explicit details of soldiers getting cut down. It's a character study of a man whose existential crisis ends only with his death-- a death gone largely unspecified, the glamor and tragedy washed over with a doomed resignation. That's a hard thing to pull off, even for a band as given to deep-thinking concepts as the Roots are. And when your main lyrical catalyst is Black Thought-- a man more given to allusions than direct statements-- it's likely that it'll take a while for the full scope of Undun to really sink in.

If and when it does, it might strike listeners as a bit skeletal: omit the mood-setting instrumental bookends, including a brief, four-part orchestral suite that builds off Sufjan Stevens' "Redford (For Yia-Yia and Pappou)", and you've got maybe a half hour's worth of material. By ?uestlove's accounts, writing Redford's story introduced the headaches and challenges that come with scriptwriting into their songwriting, and what's left on Undun is the end result of frequent revisions and rewrites that attempt to reconcile character, theme, and continuity. If it comes at the expense of nuance, it's not always obvious: There's an easy-to-trace narrative line from Redford's acceptance of his fate ("Sleep") to his acknowledgement of how close it's approaching ("Make My"), back through declarations of aggravated toughness ("One Time"), and celebratory fatalism ("Kool On"), along ups and downs that juxtapose motivation ("Stomp") and helplessness ("Lighthouse"). When the vocal portion of the album ends with two of the bleakest sets of verses in the Roots discography, peaking with the estrangement of "I Remember" and the desperation of "Tip the Scale", Undun reveals itself as a story where a man's actual death isn't quite as tragic as the circumstances that pushed him to it.

out of Stock

Last delivered 6 months ago
available to reorder, subject to availability

31,05 €

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