Canto I (Canto-Eye) are a duo consisting of two brothers from Reno, Nevada who want to share their true love of the music and the community that is hip-hop. I know, everyone and their grandma does that these days for the sake of saying so, but it's rare to hear that statement coming from anyone and then actually hear it in their music. Canto I say the are about "No gimmicks. No fancy clothes. No gold grillz. Just good old fashioned boom bap hip-hop." If you're going to go back to the old boom bap, you best do it right. Right? They have been making music since the beginning of the century, each CD doing fairly well locally. With Entry Level - Elements (self-released), it not only serves as an initiation to the next level of their career, but it's also acknowledgment of their influences, and the artistry involved, for they are now contributors of that artistry.
A lot of people talk about the "golden era" of hip-hop, one that older fans cherish because it's what they/we grew up with, what inspired them to get involved in music, and a part of our past. Within that golden era was a period of a few years where it felt as if experimentation was as important as "keeping it real", the time before the Wu-Tang Clan hit the scene and broke big. When you hear the groove of the opening track, "Entry Level", in your mind you want to walk outside, walk down the sidewalk and commit to the strut. Yeah, that strut with the attitude that, no matter what clothes you wore, it let people know that you were a hip-hop fan. Even if no one knew or cared, you felt confidence in the music that felt like it meant everything to you, and you walked, step by step, feeling like the world was yours. Effect and Joe Fury are guys who are comfortable with the way they rhyme, very clear and accurate with phrasing, and also aware of timing. I'm not talking about the fear of being off-tempo, but like a comedian, one has to have a feel for how to move their words and lines across the beats, and be able to not only make them sound good, but to make it sound effective. "The Shining" has the feel of The Pharcyde and Souls Of Mischief with the beat serving as the pulse, and the lyrics and samples becoming the blood flow. You feel it instantly, and you anticipate these guys as they about to deliver their words to the microphone, and as soon as you hear it, you know. One doesn't even have to explain it, you just know. There's no stupidity, no foolishness, Canto I are a group you can become a fan of with pride and honor, without worry, as it seems everything is a perfect fit.
I say this because I feel it's true, it moves me. It moves me to want to let people know about it. Effect and Joe Fury are helped out with producers who are very much into the craft, the fine art of production, knowing their music and knowing how to find the right samples, with most of the tracks being done by a guy people should seriously look out for, Jape. The album also features productions from Pacemaker, Steez, and The Foundation Unit. Together, they make an album that features solid lyrics and instrumentals, where you want to put this on repeat over and over. What I also like is that the album seems very progressive, and while I want to hesitate in saying this, it's a bit like prog rock in that songs come one after the other non-stop, while some tracks will switch tempos and styles a few times within the same song. Fans who aren't used to that may feel the approach is not exactly "true" to what the music is about, but the music is about the freedom to do what you want, and it's a feel that is a throw back to the spontaneous, anything goes approach of the Beastie Boys and Jungle Brothers, or Siah & Yeshua Dapo Ed. The one song that moved me was "Burning Bridges", as each of them offer one verse each in the first half. In the second half, they say You got a minute? (Why?) There's a bridge I need to cross
There's a missile seeking launch, I'mma help you lift it off, and by helping, they are assisting each other in the passing of the mic, bouncing off each other in a manner that makes this song a soon-to-be classic. It has the essence of the old school but the presence of the now, and done without ego. One is easily reminded of Smooth Da Hustler and Trigger Tha Gambla, Q-Tip and Phife, Lateef The Truth Speaker and Lyrics Born, and Nice & Smooth, to the point where it feels like you're hearing two distinct voices from one being. Odd? Nah, just something that hasn't been heard in this manner in a long time.
It's progressive hip-hop without going over people's heads, complex without being heady, and in your face without constant reminders of how hard they're hitting you. This is definitely one of 2007's brightest moments in rap music.
Read more...