October 28, 2018

Black Milk "Tronic" (10th Anniversary)


"Tronic is an artistic breakthrough for Detroit producer/rapper Black Milk, a Slum Village associate who has toiled in the industry for years (which he explains on the triumphant chipmunk-soul anthem "Long Story Short"). The title tips off the rough electronic tint of his third album, but this ain't no retro-electro party: Milk bangs out hard synth tracks with malevolent fire, "murdering the booth" on cuts such as "The Matrix" and "Overdose." Pharoahe Monch, Sean Price, Royce Da 5'9", and other MCs show up to anoint the new price of hardcore hip-hop." - Mosi Reeves (Spin, 2009). Referenced in the album review is the opening track "Long Story Short," which I have as one of the best track 1s on any album of recent memory. I think Black Milk pushed the envelope and was ahead of his time switching to more live instrumentation when Tronic was released, so I'm curious how people feel it has aged and sits with the current climate of music production (sans trap music)? Revisit it...