BLUE SKY BLACK DEATH & NACHO PICASSO / Exalted [2012]

Blue Sky Black Death & Nacho Picasso's 2nd collaboration of 2012, Exalted manages to travel down even darker & seedier passages than the cold-hearted Lord Of The Fly.

Raised by dense, spaced-out atmospheric instrumentals, Nacho Picasso's emotionless smooth, slow deliveries fit like a glove, which is perfect seeing as I don't see him fitting anywhere else.  While Lord Of The Fly focused more on BSBD's moody production, Exalted seems to be tailor made for Picasso to throw his vocals over.  Not to say BSBD's work isn't top-notch, because it is, it just seems more like a collaborative project this time around. 

3 Scooby Snacks out of 5

Songs Of Note: Swap 'Em Out; Haile Selassie

BLUE SKY BLACK DEATH & NACHO PICASSO / Lord Of The Fly [2012]

Hip-hop production duo Blue Sky Black Death & emcee Nacho Picasso's first of two 2012 collaborations, Lord Of The Fly plays like a cold sci-fi 80's b-movie score.  

Picasso assumes the role of a sleazy, smooth-talking villain with the words slowly crawling off his tongue like a stoned storyteller.  BSBD's music is a distant, serene soundscape that seeps into the imagination with great ease and chilling comfort.  The lyrics as interesting as they might be, get a little silly at times as well but BSBD's production quality never lets up and begs for an instrumental release. 

3½ Ving Rhames soundboards out of 5

Songs Of Note: Rammin'; Naked Lunch

CUCKOO'S TOP 10 ALBUMS OF 2011

People keep saying new music is crap but I don't believe it. Out of the 50 albums or so that I reviewed this year, I can honestly say I'd recommend atleast 80% of them which is pretty good. Granted I did do some digging to find some of this stuff...but it's worth it when you find it.

It wasn't that tough a decision to narrow down my top 10 seeing as I awarded only 10 albums with 5 "stars".

(click on the names for the mini-reviews)

10. BLUE SKY BLACK DEATH / Noir

9. THE CURE / Bestival Live 2011

8. PJ HARVEY / Let England Shake

7. THE WAR ON DRUGS / Slave Ambient

6. VESPERTINA / The Waiting Wolf

5. TOM WAITS / Bad As Me

4. ANDREW JACKSON JIHAD / Knife Man

3. LYDIA LOVELESS / Indestructible Machine

2. LYKKE LI / Wounded Rhymes

1. FRANK TURNER / England Keep My Bones


Some honorable mentions go to:

BANG DATA / Maldito Carnaval
BLINK-182 / Neighborhoods
DIRTY BEACHES / Badlands
DOOMTREE / No Kings
DUM DUM GIRLS / Only In Dreams
DAVID LYNCH / Crazy Clown Time
JEFF MARTIN 777 / The Ground Cries Out
PUSCIFER / Conditions Of My Parole
ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS / Songs Of Man
VARIOUS ARTISTS / Drive (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)

BLUE SKY BLACK DEATH / Noir [2011]

Cinematic hip-hop act, Blue Sky Black Death constantly go back and forth between instrumental albums and vocal albums. Both being just effective as the other, however it's the instrumental ones that are the most universally welcome...and with good reason. Their latest effort, Noir confirms this statement.
They create beautiful dreamlike soundscapes with deeply textured layers of atmosphere and emotion that leaves the listener in awe. It's a strange mood that BSBD creates, almost like you're standing directly between a rain storm and a sunny day.
Sounding like a cross between Nujabes, The Cure and Moby, Noir is easily one of the standout hip-hop albums of the year.

5 Stand By Mes out of 5

Songs Of Note: Sleeping Children Are Still Flying; Swords From Driftwood