Given his production work for Illogic people have always seemed to equate Blueprint as a producer who rhymes, not an emcee that produces. Does one always have to be better than the other? Print certainly did his best to blur those lines on the Soul Position LP, where he showed that he was not only a very talented emcee, but one of hip-hop’s most engaging personalities. So much so, I almost forgot what an excellent producer he is, behold “Life Sentences.”
Alongside his long time crew, Inkwell and P-Dunbar (formerly Manifest), Print and company deliver their second album, and first full length as the Greenhouse Effect. Where the “Up To Speed EP” was only as good as Print’s contributions, Inkwell and P-Dunbar have stepped up their games this time around and do a nice job this time around. This is evident right from the outset when Inkwell and P sandwich Print’s dope verse with two nice ones of their own on “To Rhyme Is Divine.” The true standout of the track is Print’s moody production though; those are some crisp drums I tell you. These dark and mesmerizing beats seem to be the order of the day, as the previously released “Proper Education” is just some evil shit. Meanwhile, the title track is at the opposite end of the spectrum (and even more stunning), it makes me want to go watch a sunset. Print’s excellent extended metaphor is no less worthy of praise though.
If 3 ill beats don’t make “Feedback” worth your while, the concept, and execution of it, must be heard. This is the open mic track done successfully. 10 points go to who can figure out who else has used the samples in the 2nd and 3rd beat. The dreams of countless hip hop heads are explored on “Fantasy Island,” yet another fantastic submission from Blueprint. Another standout comes in “Lost Souls” as Inkwell and Print just tear up the dusty offering. “Cracked Pavement” is equally dope, and for the same reasons actually. Lest I forget the mention the rock styled “Friction” and the show-stealing Vast Aire.
The most apparent attributes to this album are the distinct voices and the excellent production. Print has always had a voice that makes him hard to forget, and he makes sure to use it to his advantage. Ink and P posses equally unique sounds and they have learned to harness them to their advantage as well. It all comes back to the beats though, both the cohesiveness and the consistent quality of Print’s work on the boards is what you need to hear.
