California emcee Wildcard teams up with C-Lance for his eighth studio record. He burst onto the scene in 2007 with his debut album Dark Night of the Soul and has since gone on to carve out an impressive discography for himself, be it Odyssey and War or his last few releases, Shadow Work” and “Change in CabinPressure”. Last summer’s Western Promises turned out to be one of the best albums of his entire career to date, and now he’s looking to up the ante by dropping Zodiac.
“Aries World” opens with a trumpet-heavy Bap instrumental that describes a bunch of meth-smoking rats as Disney on Ice, while “Taurus Jacket” retains the sonic vibe of its predecessor, talking about the time it took him to do his first rap check. . Before BARZ’s “Cancer Circle,” Kail Problems’ “The Gemini Dance” blends rock and trap to discuss themes of romance! The two are found talking about pushing until the wheels fall off.
Apathy joins Wildcard’s comeback craze on “Leo Lounge,” promising everyone will clap like gonorrhea, into the soulful “Virgo Lane,” apologizing for the pain he’s caused when he’s selfish to the core. “Libra Season” featuring Dead Poet Devil features a gospel sample about going through it all, while “The Scorpio Element” veers into rap-rock, acknowledging that the hardest thing for him to do is change.
“Sagittarius Soul” mixes these prominent organs with kick and snare drums to express devotion to his mother, while “Capricorn Games” featuring A-Wax finds the two connecting and talking about them The trigger finger got cold. “Aquarius Blue” shifts the tempo back into trap territory, encouraging the voices that drown out your head, but then “A Pisces Tomorrow” starring Endr Won introspectively wishes for those who are no longer in their lives, even if they still are. Here they will love them too.
Pizzo appears on “Summer Snow,” adding hardcore lyricism to the droning Bap instrumental, while B-Guy Griffin’s “Brutal Blue” adds some down-to-earth thumps. Cymbals blend with melodic background vocals, talking about a wild and lawless lifestyle. “All Below the Below” closes out the Zodiac Project with a soulful boom bap mix that pours his heart and soul into his music to only provide you with his story.
C-Lance has become one of the best underground producers of the last 15 years, and for anyone who loves the tracks he’s produced so far with Wildcard, you’ll love The Zodiac Project just as much, if not a little more point. If you couldn’t tell, the concept is built around the zodiac, with the C-Lance’s diverse production inheriting the consistency of its predecessor.
Score: 8/10
