BADBADNOTGOOD & Ghostface Killah - Sour Soul

It’s only February but it looks like 2015 is shaping up to be an epic year for hip hop. While I thought Run The Jewels easily had the best hip hop album last year with Run The Jewels 2, it seems like we have an early contender for this year’s best with an absolutely brilliant release between Canadian post-pop jazz-trio BADBADNOTGOOD and Wu-Tang OG Ghostface Killah (with appearances by Elzhi, Tree, Danny Brown, and masked-supervillain M.F. Doom).

This is the album BBNG was always meant to make. The trio invokes a 60’s jazz-funk vibe that sounds like a contemporary-recorded alternate soundtrack to La Planète Sauvage which makes a perfect backdrop for Ghostface Killah’s slick and quick flows (the instrumental track Stark’s Reality is particularly reminiscent…perhaps a nod to GK’s debut Ironman album from ’96?). Though the group has become known for their jazz-covers of contemporary hip hop songs (not unlike the older, American jazz trio The Bad Plus known for covering rock songs) this record is their first serious release featuring actual rappers… but considering the caliber of talent they’ve attracted and the quality of this release, I dare say this won’t be the last. Do yourself a favor and start your weekend RIGHT NOW by streaming the album below, it officially drops on Lex Records Feb. 23.

9/10, steal this album if you have to.