The CunninLynguists' new album is finally here, and, though it's out earlier than its originally intended date, we're not complaining, because it's the kind of music any hip-hop consumer can enjoy. There's nothing too crazy about their new sound that's present, but in true CunninLynguists fashion, you never find yourself bored with the listening experience. Strange Journey Volume Three is not only an interesting album sonically, but the concept behind its formation gives the whole project a very unique backstory. A lot of artists these days are turning to more democratic methods for funding and marketing in an effort to ensure the music is what their fans want, but despite appearances, the artist/fan connectivity on these projects often just ends at donations. Very rarely do the fans get a say in the creative process. With this release though, the CunniLynguists have shattered that mold, and created what just might be the first truly crowdsourced album. The fans were able to say who would guest feature, what the cover art would look like, and how the music should sound. This method probably stole a lot of thunder from the actual release, but what it lacks in fanfare, it more than makes up in creativity of sound, and replayability. There are a lot of great tracks on this one, but we included some of the standouts to appease your appetite. "Kings" ft. Sheisty Khrist is a must-listen, and so is "South California" ft. Tunji. If you're already a fan of these guys, this album is probably not far off from what your expectactions (heck, you may have even had a hand in making it), but in this case that's definitely not a bad thing. With Strange Journey Volume Three, the CunninLynguists prove more than their solid-as-a-rock sound, but their willingness to adapt to the interests of their audiences as well, and for that, we see a lot more musical mileage left within the members. From now until April 1st you can download Strange Journey Volume Three on Bandcamp for free or pay what you want.
CunninLynguists