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Blu & Exile: Below The Heavens Album Review
http://www.phetasy.com/articles/164/1/Blu--Exile-Below-The-Heavens-Album-Review/Page1.html
By God of Elevation (GOE)
Published on 02.22.08
 
If you're not familiar with LA rapper Blu, or his latest album with producer Exile... then checkout this Late Pass, and get hip to the game!

I first heard Blu from that track he was on in Dilla’s Jay Love Japan album. I knew Exile from Emanon. All throughout 2007 I heard how good Below The Heavens was...
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Blu & Exile: Below The Heavens Album Review
I first heard Blu from that track he was on in Dilla’s Jay Love Japan album. I knew Exile from Emanon. All throughout 2007 I heard how good Below The Heavens was, but never peeped it. There was sooo much coming out in the fall of ’07 on the Majors, that a couple of indy cats got slept on…

Anyway, once I got around to downloading it…

(yeah that’s right, I said it… I download all the time. I know it’s fucked up, but in this day and era you kinda have to. I still support by buying the actual album when it comes out)

…I realized that I needed to give myself a Late Pass on that one, but it’s all good cause I mean…. What does that mean anyways? ... to be late… If I heard Jimmy Hendrix, or The Doors for the first time now, would I also get the Late Pass?



Blu & Exile
Below The Heavens (In Hell Happy With Your New Imaginary Friend)
Album Review

My World Is… Starts with a soft Joni Mitchell sang Blue note that fades into a hard hittin beat by Exile. Blu comes with a flow that’s right up to par with its instrumental. The theme of it, it’s clearly the introduction of who Blu is.

The Narrow Path is "on some old straight out the park hip hop shit". It’s hard hitting drums have a reminder of a Golden Era beat. Even though it reminds me of a classic NYC era of music, it's clearly a West Coast song.  The track is a perfect blend of NY and LA.

So(ul) Amazin’ (Steel Blazin’) can't really be described with words… so I'm just going to actually play it… you be the judge...
(NOTE: This is a great video!... well done, props to the director)



Juicen’ Dranks features Ta'Raach and Blu going at it back and forth like on some Red and Meth type shit! The song has got a laid back track with some flute and videogame sounding effects. It definitely makes me wanna go and get a drink, while...

In Remembrance Of Me Blu takes us thru a journey. A lyrical storytelling flow, with a laid back track. Add 30’s sounding singing in the background, with some Nas cuts in there.

In Blu Cola Worker Blu explains to “shortie” that she needs to understand that, he needs to be able to go out and make some bread… and she needs to let him live! …that’s pretty much the gist of it. This joint just makes my head bob! A crowd favorite at shows. It ends with a soft ‘warning of sorts’ that the rain begins to fall… an introduction to what is to become…

Dancing In The Rain starts with a guitar string, accompanied by some great drums from Exile. A great introduction to a great song. Blu creates one of these what I like to call “Rain tracks”… you know, them joints you like to throw in on rainy days (like that Raekwon shit). He talks about the blu times in life, and how you need to instead of ‘dance slow in the rain’, move your ass!

In First Things First he's on some relationship status. He breaks down the different ways to approach females in today's world, while in No Grater Love Exile keeps the slow mellow vibe going with this gem. A laid back slick joint that makes you wanna smoke an L and ride with your window down.

In Show Me The Good Life Aloe Blacc and Joseph accompany Blu as he raps about pregnancy issues. Exile picks up the pace a bit with this instrumental, and does some weird but cool distortion effects towards the end of the track.

Simply Amazin' is on some serious head nod shit!... he begins by saying "Ayo, I'm tryna make these Niggas go bonkers..."... and that's exactly what he does on this track, backed by a serious Exile beat. The chorus says it all... "Hip Hop started out in the heart"...and that's evident thru-out the whole song. A perfect blend of the eMCee and DJ.

In Cold Hearted he raps about his childhood. Some graphic mental images are portrayed in Blu's lyrics. Maybe you can say this is a sad song, but I feel like it's more of a redemption song than anything. This is Phetasy's pick from the album.

The World Is... (Below The Heavens) is the begining of the end of the album. This song is broken down into two sections. In the first part Blu reminds us 'who's world this is'... It's almost like he's lifting us towards the clouds... in part two he states the ending of the album, and reminds us that we've been chillin' the whole LP below the heavens, and now we're about to be lifted above the clouds. He ensues in a series of shoutouts, while Miguel Jontel (I think it's him) sings the closing.

Eventually You Are Now In The Clouds With (The Koochie Monstas) brings a closing theme to the album. Exile brings an instrumental track that samples the main song from the film Punch Drunk Love by filmaker Paul Thomas Anderson. It's a really nice way to close the whole thing in my oppinion. It gives off this almost surreal feeling that you truly are in the clouds... so to speak.


In closing, I recommend that everyone go buy this album. It truly is a fantastic project and one of the best cd's to come out in 2007. Some people are already calling it a instant underground classic album.


~The G.O.E.