Albums to watch

Quazarz Vs The Jealous Machines

Shabazz Palaces

Quazarz Vs The Jealous Machines

One of two simultaneous release from the Seattle experimental hip-hop collective led by Ishmael Butler aka 'Palaceer Lazaro' and multi-instrumentalist Tendai 'Baba' Maraire

ADM rating[?]

7.3

Label
Sub Pop
UK Release date
14/07/2017
US Release date
14/07/2017
  1. 9.0 |   Loud And Quiet

    Sees the pair indulge their penchant for free jazz more thoroughly than before
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  2. 8.5 |   Paste Magazine

    While Gangster Star is more about vibes than lyrics, Butler gets much more opinionated on Jealous Machines
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  3. 8.5 |   The Line Of Best Fit

    Psychedelic and jazz-infected skeletal drum loops feature heavily within the more downbeat minimalism of Quazarz vs. The Jealous Machines
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  4. 8.3 |   Gig Soup

    Borrowing more heavily from psychedelia, as well as cloud and avant rap influences, its lyrics focus on our unhealthy relationship with smartphones and social media
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  5. 8.3 |   A.V. Club

    Highlights the duo’s more melodic side, moving from lust and consummation to a film-noir spy flick, pursued by nebulous internet drones
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  6. 8.0 |   Prefix

    If there’s a more challenging record out of the two, Quazarz vs. The Jealous Machines is it
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  7. 8.0 |   Crack

    At times, the minimalism veers towards the familiar realms of cloud rap, but thankfully Butler’s storytelling is so engrossing and substantial that any notes of instrumental gimmickry disappear
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  8. 8.0 |   All Music

    Compared to Lese Majesty, this similarly concise set is a bit murkier and only slightly less enticing
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  9. 8.0 |   The Guardian

    Lo-fi, woozy, made on outmoded equipment and suffused with faded memories of music past
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  10. 8.0 |   The Skinny

    The band are writing songs that make floating into oblivion sound appealing
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  11. 8.0 |   Q

    Set Quazarz to stunning. Print edition only

  12. 8.0 |   Uncut

    A sweltering sun-baked quality
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  13. 8.0 |   Mojo

    A thrilling excursion, possessing an otherworldly ambience and substance you'll spend months decoding, every spin yielding something new. Print edition only

  14. 8.0 |   Drowned In Sound

    Easily the more direct of the two
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  15. 8.0 |   The Independent

    Quazarz’s focus turns to humanity’s increasingly obsessional relationship with devices
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  16. 7.9 |   Pitchfork

    Nods to the symbiotic relationships we develop with the various black mirrors in our lives
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  17. 7.0 |   Spectrum Culture

    If the first album made clear Shabazz Palaces’ disdain for contemporary culture, its follow-up only doubles down on the disgust
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  18. 6.0 |   The Irish Times

    You could argue that you’ve the makings of an excellent single album between both releases but we should perhaps welcome such cosmic excess for once
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  19. 6.0 |   DIY

    Much like its companion, it’s an album that’s relatively restrained
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  20. 6.0 |   Under The Radar

    Amorphous and much more elusive
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  21. 6.0 |   The FT

    The two albums have enough inventive passages of far-out beat-making to keep true flab at bay
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  22. 5.0 |   PopMatters

    Maraire is the real star of the show across both of the records. His beats hit with a sense of space and organization that feels architectural
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  23. 2.8 |   Earbuddy

    They let limp electronic compositions float into the air while the vocal performances consist of so much hot air. It’s pretentious, difficult, and self-impressed.
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