People were beginning to think that the promised collaborative album from Erykah Badu and The Alchemist would go the way of many fabled albums that never saw release. Thankfully, Badu and Al proved to be artists of their word. After a few cryptic teases and singles “Next To You” and “Witch Doctor,” Before The World Blows is finally with us to usher in a new artistic step for both artists.
Before The World Blows fuses Badu’s soulful experimentation and Alchemist’s hip-hop aesthetic into a musical curiosity that’s worth the listen. The set feels at times brave, with productions that vibe out on a particular groove and then suddenly flip into something completely different. Other times, it feels a bit indulgent, with tracks that drift and meander a little past their welcome. But mostly, the album sits in the sweet spot between Badu and Alchemist’s own talents and lingers even after the last note.
Part of the magic here is the list of collaborators in the mix. They appear early in the tracklist, with Joi, Westside Gunn and DJ Creole Princess bringing the psychedelic funk on “I Just Play A Part” and DRAM playing the role of f-boy on the smoothed-out “Valentine.” Then there’s the dreamy sounds of “To The Moon,” where the duo steps into Steve Lacy’s world and play in his blend of R&B, rock and pop for one of the album’s best cuts, and the Thundercat collab “They Ain’t You” that are sure to catch the ear of all the lovers out there.
Erykah and Al give hip-hop even more shine with “No I.D.,” which again features Westside Gunn and gives love to all the production players in hip-hop, but especially the song’s namesake. We’re then unexpectedly taken to church alongside Earl Sweatshirt on the gospel-tinged “I Know That Man” before the set closes with a bit of jazz, spoken word and Kamasi Washington on “Black Box.”
But the best moments come when it’s simply Erykah and Alchemist having their own conversation. The haunting “Crossfade,” which tells the story of a woman who can’t be tamed or tied down over snares that roll in and pull back like the tide, might quietly be one of the best songs in Badu’s catalog. “Breezy,” meanwhile, pairs a bounce reminiscent of “Benny And The Jets” with the story of a snobbish chick who still manages to be the life of the party. And the one-two punch of “What The People Say (Apostle 1)” and “Hot BiBi (Apostle 2)” showcases the versatility of Badu’s lyricism and The Alchemist’s production as the pair take essentially the same production and offer both an R&B spin in the storytelling vein and a hip-hop take that reminds us of Badu’s rapping roots.
Before The Wind Blows definitely lives up to the adage “better late than never,” as it delivers on its promise and then some. It’s not a perfect record, but even its imperfections make it one of the most interesting and intriguing albums to be released this year.
Erykah Badu & The Alchemist Before The World Blows [Amazon][Apple Music][Bandcamp][TIDAL]
