The veteran Oakland crew, who had just celebrated the 20-year anniversary of their classic debut
93 'Til Infinity
, get the magic
Adrian Younge
touch for
There Is Only Now
. As with
Ghostface Killah
's
Twelve Reasons to Die
, this was produced by
Younge
, the preternaturally talented musician and beatmaker whose knack for '70s-inspired cinematic suspense is unmatched. It too has a narrative quality, beginning with a near-death incident and continuing through a linear series of scenes that involves drop-ins from the likes of
Busta Rhymes
,
Snoop Dogg
Scarub
, and
the Delfonics
'
William Hart
.
Ali Shaheed Muhammad
plays the role of host (and also remixed the album for a stand-alone release). The set doesn't get weighed down by the concept;
and company keep it moving. Just over a quarter of the tracks break three minutes in length, and
A-Plus
Opio
Phesto
Tajai
maintain urgency throughout, with their leads changing not merely by the verse but also by the rhyme, and they sometimes complete one another's thoughts. Expertly arranged and executed rhymes, meaty basslines, crisp drums, darkly twinkling keyboard vamps, and terror strings reverberate for hours after listening. ~ Andy Kellman