Cabin In The Sky＜Variant, Sky Blue Vinyl＞

ヒップ・ホップ・レジェンドのDe La Soulが約9年振り10作目の新アルバムを発売!

ニューヨーク発ヒップ・ホップ・レジェンドのDe La Soul(デ・ラ・ソウル)が約9年振り10作目の新アルバムを発売!Mass Appealによる"Legend Has It"シリーズのひとつである。

2023年に他界したメンバー、トゥルーゴイのレガシーを称えるとともに、これまでに失われたすべての愛する者への追悼も込められたアルバムとなっている。

The 2023 death of founding De La Soul member David "Trugoy the Dove" Jolicoeur is both the lingering shadow of grief and the light of remembrance that makes up Cabin in the Sky, the groups first new material since Jolicoeurs passing and their first album in almost a decade. While a loss of this magnitude is bound to make a huge impact on the surviving members of De La Soul, the album lacks none of the groups well-established brightness and positivity, even when investigating the heartbreak of death. Jolicoeur is even present on tracks about how much hes missed. "YUHDONTSTOP" has a string-heavy beat produced by the departed, and recordings of his voice made before his death are worked in amid verses about Kelvin "Posdnuos" Mercer and Vincent "Maseo" Masons decision to keep De La going after losing their friend. Unsurprisingly, much of Cabin in the Sky contains devoted references to, or posthumous appearances from Jolicoeur, with heavy threads of existential exploration and heartfelt expressions of sorrow. Golden Age-styled production from DJ Premier on several tracks helps keep the album from ever coming close to tones of sadness, and playful, vibrant, sample-heavy tunes like "Will Be" and the bouncy, storytelling "Just How It Is (Sometimes)" are classic De La Soul. The group also brings in a huge cast of guest stars to help out, with Common and Slick Rick giving old-school flavor to the "Hey Young World" redux "Yours," Black Thought adding some additional heft to "EN EFF," Killer Mike showing up on the relaxed groover "A Quick 16 for Mama," and Nas, Q-Tip, Yummy Bingham, and others also making appearances. While Cabin in the Sky is in large part a memoriam to De La Souls departed third member (in particular on the penultimate title track, which everything the groups friendship allowed them to accomplish together), its very much a celebration of life rather than a painful expression of mourning. While Jolicoeurs spirit is strong throughout the album, hes never cast as a ghost or a fallen soldier. Even grappling with mortality, De La Soul retain their eternal warmth and optimism on Cabin in the Sky, crafting a fun, jubilant set of tracks as they process deeper shades of reflection, thoughtfulness, and ultimately, acceptance. ~ Fred Thomas