Top 25 Albums of 2011: #24 Black Up by Shabazz Palaces

I hate it when I hear the term “avant garde” to describe some music today.  When I think of avant garde music, I think of songs like The Beatles’ “Revolution #9”, which is basically a sound collage of unrelated noises spliced together.  

Nevertheless, people regularly invoke the term “avant garde” to describe the sound of Shabazz Palaces.  In my mind, though, Shabazz Palaces is just excellent rap with incredibly inventive beats.

When I listen to hip hop, I primarily just focus on the beats, and the beats in this album are unlike anything I’ve heard before.  It’s nice to hear an injection of originality into a genre that can at times be desperately lacking it. 

Standout tracks:

Shabazz Palaces: “Are You Can You Were You (Felt)”

Shabazz Palaces: “Swerve the Reeping of All that is Worthwhile (Noir Not Withstanding)”