Yesterday's Universe

Yesterday's New QuintetYesterday's Universe

Is Yesterday’s Universe the new album by a jazz band of the same name, or is it maybe a compilation featuring artists such as Jackson Conti, Monk Hughes, Sound Directions, the Otis Jackson Jr. Trio and so on? Factually speaking, it’s both neither and all of the above; but really, it’s the latest jazz record from Yesterday’s New Quintet, which is actually just a moniker for one of today’s best producers, Otis “Madlib” Jackson, Jr. and a couple of his drummer friends, Karriem Riggins and Mamao Azymuth.

Also the man behind such projects as The Lootpack, Quasimoto, Madvillain, Jaylib and various other projects, Madlib has established himself as the most prolific musician of the current decade, producing over 25 full-length releases spanning many genres, including both traditional and experimental hip-hop, jazz, bop, soul, reggae and funk. With Yesterday’s Universe, which is more or less his fifth YNQ record, Madlib has created his fifth hands down classic album.

Framed by deep grooves, fusion-friendly drumming and accessible melodies draped through dusty, retro production, YNQ’s latest album seamlessly pays tribute to various subgenres within the jazz genre.

While previous YNQ albums have seemed to be aimed clearly at either the boom-bap hip-hop throng or the plugged-in jazz fusion crowd, Yesterday’s Universe should easily please both sets, especially record heads with an appreciation for dusty grooves, thick production and Billy Cobham (or Billy Martin, for that matter) inspired drum beats.

Yesterday’s Universe is a sophisticated jazz riff for a world of hurried audiophiles raised on hip-hop ethos. That, and it’s one of the best of the year, hip-hop, jazz or otherwise.   8/10

Written by G. William Locke