Details

Nearly four years and a number of solo projects later, Detroits Clear Soul Forces are back with their most impressive release to date. Still is what happens when four proven artists continue to hone their craft and find their collective flow. At 11 tracks deep, this album eschews trends and instead provides timeless, straight-up dope Hip-Hop.

Speaking on why Still sounds so organic and cohesively produced, group member Noveliss says, Everyones growth has made the creative process easier. He adds that CSF may have been a team before, but each member had to prove himself individually. Now, we and the world know whats up, and its all about bouncing off each other and being a unit on every song.

That sense of true teamwork and partnership is heard and felt on each track, from the neck-snapping opening track Blaow (feat. DJ Odilon) through to album closer Dont Stop that serves up a wild burner-to-banger beat-switch. Other instant highlights include Hit Me Now, which Noveless says features all of the random things that describe CSF, and L.A.Z.s favorite track They Shootin, which is also the albums lead single.

Those tracks, and the majority of the album, were produced by rapper-producer Ilajide, who complements his CSF brothers with beats primed for verses bursting with clever bravado, video game references, and head-spinning wordplay. Still is golden era Boom bap for the modern age, and its delivered through a lens thats wholly unique to CSF. Its also one of integrity, because theres no fluff or superficial window dressing heresimply some of the best hip-hop youll hear this year.