What can I say? You people that have been reading this blog, have been listening to me blabber about Evidence from day one. The LAyover EP drops today and suffice to say I already have my copy. I will also say that it’s only 10 tracks long and it might be the best money you will have spent all year on music. This EP is so sound that I can’t find one adjective to describe it (perfect is at the tip of my tongue). Evidence has been single-handedly taking over the Hip-Hop game (with the occasional nod from Alchemist) the last two years and this EP is a perfect example. I also want to say that in the last year we have been hearing a lot of Hip-Hop groups that we all love going towards a very electronic feel (not that it’s bad, but everyone is doing it), and EV sticks to the traditional Hip-Hop sound (samples and straight boom bap) for the most part on this EP (there are 2 tracks that are synth heavy).
The EP starts out with”The LAyover” which was produced by North Carolina beast Khrysis. The beat has a very mysterious and eerie loom to it, but it fits EV just fine as he describes what it’s like to experience a layover on a flight at LAX. “For Whom The Bell Tolls” to some may be one of the top highlights of the album, which features LA native Blu, and North Carolina native Phonte (of Little Brother) and produced by Khrysis. All 3 emcees spit 16 bars of inferno and Khrysis’s beat might actually make you think death himself is coming for you. “So Fresh” is in my opinion maybe one of the best beats on the album, the guitar loop is groovy as fuck and I also think this track serves as a great first track for Step Brothers. “The Far Left” has one of the most bangin’ beats on the album, the shit’s hard as hell (straight head nodder) and Alchemist, Fashawn & Evidence tear the beat apart. The thing that I find impressive about this EP is that I did hear a majority of the tracks before they came out, but there are three tracks of this album that serve to me as the definitive moments. “Rain or Shine” is a great track with a very soulful beat and Evidence rhyming by himself. DJ Babu‘s cuts are impeccable and the samples on this track are beautiful. To me “To Be Determined” is the EP’s shining gem. When I heard that Elzhi and EV were going to be on the same track I flipped my shit, and the result is pure magic. EV and Elzhi spit bars of fire and Aloe Blacc adds a great deal to this track as well with 16 bars of blackout material. If “To Be Determined” wasn’t on this EP “Cold Weather” would surely be the highlight of this album. Evidence takes on this track by himself and rolls smoothly over the beat and beautiful piano loop: “As of late these mics don’t reach too far/ so I kill each bar like it’s Flashing Lights“.
In conclusion this EP is as close to perfect as you can get. This is more than just an EP, it’s a testament that Evidence is going to be doing some huge things. If you slept on The Weatherman LP, you sure as hell don’t want to sleep on this shit, you will be making a huge mistake. Do yourself a favor and go pick up one of the top 3 releases of 2008 folks, you’ve got my word on that.
10/10
MIND INVERSION 