It is full steam ahead as Kashmere, Verb T and Ghost head back into the future on this time train of thought. Mystery and musical magic is conjured time and again in this work of full substance that employs a detailed and distilled formula.
This is undeniably a journey into the sonic mind-scape of titans, with genre defying productions and lyricists at the height of their craft. They have created an album of breath taking perceptions to unleash on to an unknowing and as yet unready audience. Defiantly moving and growing from the last crew project "Seldom Seen often heard", an organic depth manifests itself in a collection of tracks that prefer synth over samples, gloriously re-taking ground from dub-step and grime and placing it firmly back in the hip hop realm. In so doing they move as one ahead of the curve, in line with the ethos of Project Moon Circle and the ingenuity of DJ IQ, in parts a club driven frenzy and in others a vision of the synth laden heavens. Considering the freedom of thought that the crew builds upon, the development of sound scenery is remarkably fine tuned by Ghost, one of the most consistent and livest producers making beats in the UK.
With more concepts and sound-scape than Floyd, the rappers verbally tour inner spiritualism of psychedelia to absorbing effect. The mystical motifs well-used by Kashmere raise the imagination to his 'metaphysical design' and are the perfect foil to Verb T's earthly sensibilities, although they both take and lend to each others strengths in what sounds like their finest collaboration so far. Where Verb T's strong chorus binds together the cogent verses of the three rhymers, they are keen to add breadth and depth to the track. Kashmere's abilities to weave words fluidly between engrossing narrative and sharp dialogue is symptomatic of how sick his rhyming really is. Using a referencing system ranging from the cherished figures of history, great books and visual magic, to the heights and depths of outer and introspection. His images are so vibrant that on this record his performance is all too far off the scale to measure. Verbs perfectly catches that balance between real and unreal that symbolises the wide variety of experiences explored on the album. He makes steady inroads into the art of the author speaking into the mind of the listener, his lyrics are a virtuoso orchestration of the listener's imagination, in an act that sees his transition from quality writer into distinguished poet.
In this project the poetic sense Verb T has earnestly developed, becomes the link between a deep surrealism and the pure cogency and desire to express a clear reality. Kashmere's rhymes appear embossed into the track and when he emerges the listener is summoned on to a new plain of existence, an act of the imagination that is only possible when authors such as these are in full control of the fine arts of penmanship and delivery. Asaviour appears now and then to provide the odd track with a touch of his refined graceful flow , pushing the ideas of the other MC's forward and allowing a varied focus of styles. Dubledge's feature gives a versatile and smooth conversant flow, bringing extra flavour, and keeps to the themes, styles and fine values instilled in the work. The use and high standard of backing vocals bring the album's aspirations into full achievement creating a whole sound, leaving no part of the structure without detailed quality. There is a good balance of main vocalist to features, however a longer album including more friends of the collective may have diluted the dense and ultra strong substance that Invisible Inc. is written in.
They may have cracked the paradigm shift currently sweeping between commercial and underground, in the process they have definitely broken the mould. Words can't do enough justice to this album, and at a price of a mere £3.50 (just under 20p and tracK!!) there has never been a better incentive to support the underground music scene. Click here and buy it.
Reviewed by J-Bodes
www.myspace.com/musicbyghost
www.myspace.com/verbt
www.myspace.com/kashmereiguana
great review. for me the lp is a 9/10, i think i'd have it as a 10/10 if the execution of the female vocalist had been better. not really sure why she sings in an american accent, or if she is a good a vocalist as verbs/kash/dubs/savvy are at spitting rhymes. let that not take away from my main point, great lp, great review.
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