Brooklyn, NY skateboarder, emcee, producer, songwriter, visual artist and model Navy Blue kicks off the week off with his eighth studio LP. Ten years ago, he shot to fame with his debut EP “Floorbearer”. Since then, he has released 9 EPs and 6 full-length albums, and then signed with Def Jam Recordings to produce his last album Ways of Knowing, produced by Budgie, which was well received. However, following last summer’s Armor Memoirs EP, Sword and Sword has arrived as we reach the halfway point of the month.
“The Bloodletter” opens with drumless piano from Chris Keys, suggesting you don’t have to die to be reborn, while sole single “Orchards” takes a booming bap route and some strings to tell another journey of self-discovery. The Graymatter-produced “God’s Kingdom” returns to a drum-less vibe, as he finds himself unable to cry lately since the death of his uncle Carl, while “Sunlight of the Spirit” talks lovingly about how beautiful life is to hide the way he lives it.
From here on, “Guardadas” maintains a drum-less coolness, longing for peace and recognition, just before “My Heartbeat” goes in a more jazzy exuberant direction, talking about not being defined by who he lives for, soaring in an existential war. “Tale of the Truth” again strips away the drums in an attempt to lower the pitch of his voice, stripping him of his patience, leading to his self-produced “Fight On” talking about love being what he’s fighting for.
“Kindred Spirit” opens the second half with a saxophone tribute to the late Ka, as he sadly passed away 13 months ago, while “If Only…” uses a bluesy guitar to express an apology for not getting a call back due to backpedaling. “Illusions” maintains a drumless sound that talks about looking high and low when he goes high and low, while “24 Gospel” features Earl Sweatshirt and finds the two abstractly embodying Animoss flipped gospel samples.
The final season of The Sword & The Soaring kicks off, with “Here & Now” bouncing around a piano sample for a few minutes explaining how his pain is what makes his day, while Sebb Bash gives “Soul Investments” a suitably soulful edge, asking why he’d keep less if he could have more. “‘Sharing a Life’ blends these sweet keys with a flute that talks about fatherhood, while ‘Phoenix’ realizes that trials and tribulations taught him that he was worthy of love.”
Navy Blue’s entire discography has been defined by his introspective abstract lyricism and drumless production, but his latest album takes his use of music as a therapeutic outlet into new territory, with “The Sword” theme representing an earthly tool for what he describes as battle or grief, and in this case “Soaring” symbolizing the heavenly council. The film was made very quietly, with him handling only 25% of it himself, and if Ka were still here he would certainly be proud of the accolades he received.
Rating: 9/10
