Not unlike Run the Jewels, Czarface started off as a side project between established hip-hop acts, then quickly took on a life of its own -- with such a distinctive, character-driven aesthetic, as well as an enthusiastic audience response, theres no way it couldve been limited to a one-off. A decade after Boston underground rap duo 7L & Esoteric and Wu-Tang Clan MC Inspectah Deck first officially joined forces (though they had worked together a few times in the past), Czarface had amassed a lengthy discography filled with collaborations (Ghostface Killah, MF DOOM), instrumental records, and a boatload of limited-edition vinyl pressings, as well as graphic novels and action figures, tying into the projects comic-inspired theme. The title of 2023s Czartificial Intelligence might imply that theyre just generating more product at this point, but the music itself is still loaded with personality, and even if the album doesnt break any new ground, its still as enjoyable as anything else theyve done. The rappers are all highly charismatic, while the production is always energetic, switching it up between futuristic synth-funk and gritty Wu-Tang-style boom-bap. Opener "Czarchimedes" hints at a technological theme, with a line about having a chip inside ones brain, but most of the lyrics veer between action-packed bravado and nostalgic reflections. The playfully violent "You Know My Style" takes shots at mediocre rappers ("Your music aint hard to find, its hard to care about"), while a sinister alter ego openly mocks Logic during his guest appearance on the amusing "Gatecrasher." Two of the most memorable songs track a lifelong obsession with comics back to childhood. "Mamas Basement," with a chorus riffing on A Tribe Called Quests "I Left My Wallet in El Segundo," details a journey back home in order to find old comics (only to be reminded that they were sold ages ago), while "Marvel at That (Road Trip)" alphabetically lists Marvel characters during a car ride game. Kool Keith and Godfather Don reunite on the tough but breezy "Helicopter," which comes across like it was written during a casual backyard hangout. Keith reappears on the more abstract, brain-twisting "Live from Czarnegie Hall," one of two bonus tracks along with the choppy, scratch-happy instrumental "One Eleven Chelsea." ~ Paul Simpson

Rovi