{"product_id":"884400485083","title":"Blue Sky Black Death - A Heap of Broken Images - Import Vinyl LP Record","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eCredits:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBlue Sky Black Death\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDescription:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eGenerally,whenagroupreleasesaninstrumentalandavocalrecordsimultaneously,it'sthelatterthatisbetterappreciatedbyalargernumberoffans.Theinstrumentalselectionmaygetoccasionallate-nightplaybyafewaspiringDJs,butforthemostpartitrestsuntouchedinsidethecaseorthesleeve,allbutforgotten.However,forproductionduoBlueSkyBlackDeath'sdebut,AHeapofBrokenImages,itistheseconddisc,theonethatfeatureslyricalappearancesfromJusAllah,Guru,andVirtuoso,amongothers,thatrunsthegreaterriskofbeingignored.Notbecauseit'sabadcollection;it'sjustsogreatlyoutshinedbytheinstrumentals.Actually,theterminstrumentalsisalittledeceptive.KingstonandYoungGoddoincludespokenvocalsamplesaswellaslivesingingintotheir12-songset,which,addedtotheguitars,pianos,trumpets,strings,woodwinds,andbasstheymixwiththeirdrumloopsandkeyboards,createafairlystunningeffect.It'slushandharmonious,sprawlingthroughdifferentwaterylandscapesandideas,yetthere'saconstantundercurrentofpainandisolationthatpervadeseventhelessominoustracks.\"DaysAreYears\"beginswithvaguelycacophonouslayersthatspreadoutintoguitar-ledfluvialmeanderings,finallyendinginaquasipopsongwitha\"LeavingLasVegas\"bassandrepeatingvocalline;\"NotHere,\"withitsopeningtrumpetandpianoriff,takesonadarker,moretrip-hopfeel,andthoughitsjazzybreaktriestoconvinceitsaudiencethatperhapsthere'sabitoflightunderneaththemurkyscumofthepond,asanemptydrumloopandforlornguitarfinallybringittoafinish,therealizationthatthesurfaceisactuallyveryfarawaysuddenlybecomesquiteclear.It'sdepressing,yetthemusicissointriguingit'simpossibletostoplisteniningandtostoplooking.BecauseBlueSkyBlackDeathprovethemselvesquiteadeptatcreatingdescriptive,uniqueenvironmentsonAHeapofBrokenImages'firstdisc,therelativestraightforwardnessofthesecondisalittledisappointing.Though\"FloorChalk\"doesusetheguitarsandkeyboardsthatweresoeffectiveindiscone,basiceeriesynthesizedhip-hoparpeggiosandhollowbassstilltakeoveranddominatetherecord.PerhapsthesesparserproductiontechniqueswereusedsoasnottooverpowertheMCs'voices,buteverythingendsupsoundingpredictableinstead,andthestrengthofsomeofthelyricalperformances(RobSonicandMikeLadd'sorVirtuoso's,forinstance)isn'tenoughtocompensateforwhatislackingelsewhere.Disctwoiscompletelyadequate,butincomparisontoKingstonandYoungGod'sinstrumentals,itfallsshort,andunfortunatelydepletestheoverallpowerofwhatAHeapofBrokenImagescouldcollectivelybeanddo.~MarisaBrown\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Old Soul Records","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53078928687393,"sku":"884400485083","price":6590.0,"currency_code":"JPY","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0568\/8482\/2076\/files\/884400485083.jpg?v=1785056155","url":"https:\/\/cdsvinyljapan.com\/products\/884400485083","provider":"CDs Vinyl Japan Store","version":"1.0","type":"link"}