This is the second album from 2econd Class Citizen, aka Aaron Thomason, and it makes an incredibly strong impression. The most immediate element of Thomason’s writing is his ability to move between musical styles without warning, but all the while making each move sound totally natural and unforced. As a result this album unfolds at a beautifully unhurried pace, its slow hip hop tempo occasionally doubled by the addition of more energetic breaks. There are carefully poised observations here too, with the question posed on ‘Stop To Wonder’ making the listener do exactly that. There is pure ambience to go with the more pronounced beat making, and while the message of each track is generally serious the overall mood is chilled as Thomason moves towards folk, psychedelia and breaks. The featured vocalists – Dday One, Strange Famous’ Buddy Peace and James Reindeer – all fit the bill perfectly, creating an album that deserves to be frequently revisited.
(Ben Hogwood) 5 out of 5
