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 Caught in the Carousel - Music Reviews and More
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Lotus Tribe Presents S.E.L.F.
The Art & War of Misanthropic Philanthropy
Lotus Tribe
Richly textured and haunting samples provide a compelling backdrop to the driving bass and boom in this pro-awareness and positive message musical project spearheaded by a collaboration of 3 MCs: Trinit-i (Jason Torres), Reason (Mark Gonzales), Aura (Jacob Lopez) with arrangements by Aether216 (Diego Chavez). Originating in San Antonio, this is hip hop at its finest. Plenty of catchy samples don’t take away from the crystal clear message: the time for change is now.
In the vein of Jurassic 5 and Blackalicious, Lotus Tribe prove over and over that a badass beat can carry a powerfully moving message. The MCs take their time telling each story and there’s great balance between the soaring soundscapes that weave in and out of each piece, keeping it flowing. It’s unpredictable and engaging, the compositions both fantastical and imaginative. But more than anything else, it’s incredibly visceral; it locks you in and you see the dripping faucet, the exposed wires, and you feel the wind slapping your face as you look out the broken window.
This is an album that was in the works for four years, and the attention to detail is clearly evident. There is great variety in style among the MC’s, with all of them exhibiting a refined approach. One of my favorite hip hop releases this year.
--Vanessa Arce
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