Underwater Regions by Aamir of Escape Artists

Aamir Yusuf is an integral part of the juggernaut trio known as The Escape Artists. An accomplished lyricist, he blesses us with this, his rookie LP aptly named Underwater Regions. This is easily one of my favorite hip-hop albums this year so far, underground or anything else, and is a masterpiece of poetic, lyrical and productive proportions. From the multitude of producers to the supreme lyrics, there s no room for boredom as you re assaulted by spacey vibes mixed with a little of your general hip hop aesthetic. From the very start of this album, Aamir distinguishes himself from other rappers by incorporating a nice toned down flow; not stressing his style or straining his voice in a gimmicky way. This, coupled by the solid templates set before him, make the release simply amazing. Teach Me immediately makes it one of the best songs on here; a menacing backdrop provided by Authentic. Maki steps in with flawless production- the highest of peaks with Recovering Satellites a song with world music synthesizers, a beautifully sung chorus by Ira and Aamir s seamless flow. Already the first couple of sounds are letting us know that we are put in touch with sick music- often smooth- that is capturing the emotions, not only with the words, but also with the beat that is playing just as important a role. Touching on a multitude of topics, Aamir manages to recite respected, fitted, conceived and written verses, creating a rather excellent album. All of this is done with ease, simply because Aamir tells a story well, and because he finds the right beats to go with the indepth topics, making one super mega dope song after another. By the time you get to the fast paced banger, Rewind the Days, it will not take you long to realize that we are not facing anything wack on this project. The head nodding will be set in place and the beat is not allowing you to rest in its structure. However, lyrically, there s nothing to complain about, this impresses daring honesty that is both personal and relevant. By using complex beat structures and smooth riffs, the laid-back vibe of all the tracks are unique enough to make beatniks groove to, but powerful enough to get love from hip-hop heads alike. What is most unique about this free-flowing album is that each track encapsulates a different style, while still maintaining continuity throughout. The production done by Xczircles, Factor, Circuitt (to name a few) is so effective, that listeners will often find themselves entranced in a hypnotic headbop, mesmerized by Aamir s smooth delivery and captivated by the melody. The flows of many of undergrounds greats on City of Lights reads as an all star line-up. Emcees like K-the-I???, Big Juss, Xczircles and 2Mex spit straight-up rap; no chatting, no crooning and weave around each other like lyrical cobras, threading them all together to make a seamless patchwork. It is accompanied by a carefully programmed bass and drum, and as good as this beat is, the lyrics are taking it over the top, and taking it beyond lounge music. This effort was supremely enjoyable and will garner multiple listens. April 13, 2008 --Cypher777/Insomniac Magazine

World renowned poet hailing from Southern California, Aamir Yusuf quickly established himself as a wordsmith with the critically acclaimed hip hop group, Escape Artists (EA).