Blue Sky Black Death – NOIR

Whatsgood! My first blog post on the inter-webs regards the producers of the band Blue Sky Black Death (BSBD). These two producers, Kingston and Young god, have created music together since 2006. Based in Seattle, Washington , these two have created one of my favorite albums of 2011. Their most recent album, NOIR, released on Fake Four Inc label, showcases the production talent of BSBD. They are known for their use of live instruments and samples to create thick and cohesive beats. Looking back on some of their older music, hip hop has had a huge influence on production. This song is taken from their collab album with Hell Razah called Razah’s Ladder. It actually contains a sample from “Ain’t No Love in the Heart of the City” by Bobby Bland. The sample is also used by Jay-Z so you may recognize it..

This is a solid cut with Hell Razah spitting fire over a luscious beat. Razah’s Ladder is a good representation of BSBD production capabilities. When listening through NOIR, these hip-hop influences are less pronounced. On some tracks, like Swords From Driftwood (one of my favorites from the album) and Sleeping Children Are Still Flying, the widespread use of live instruments is at its prime.  NOIR is one of the most cohesive and complete albums I have heard all year. Every song adds to the increasingly joyful experience of listening through the album in it’s entirety. I highly recommend copping this album and listening to it all the way through in one sitting. Also, if you want to check out more of BSBD collaborating with a rapper, check out our earlier post on Nacho Picasso and his album For The Glory (produced entirely by BSBD). Enjoy