The collective known as New Age Politics, (see what I did there), is back at the neck of the soundscape with their newest project release, The Collective.
1 year after giving us the lead single in I Might featuring Price of Audio Push, a semi-spacey, beat driven anthem that could be slapping in damn near any new Netflix Original, Xavier Shaw, Crazie, and Santos bring us the full effort with their summer drop of The Collective which contains 7 tracks and is a smooth 24 and a half minutes. Long enough to be heard but not drawn out or overdone.
From the intro 6 Days to the Bloom Lotus finish, the trio keep a cohesive and consistent theme all the way through the project. No song feels out of place or forced and the beat selection lines up rather nicely for us to have a seamless listening experience. I’ve never put these 2 words together in my life but I would have to describe the overall vibe as “aggressively laid-back”, if that makes sense. Like, “Yes, I will snap your neck but I will be completely silent and calm as I do so.”
Shaw and Crazie trade some heavy bars back and forth on nearly every song, not only with each other but also with their selected cohorts of this venture. The aforementioned Price, of course, but also hometown hero DELA PREME, who features on the second to last track Blaje. New Age picked their features well in Price and Preme. Both deliver but neither of them were clearly depended on or needed to hold the songs up. They fit perfectly into their roles and played a clear part in…….well, in the collective of the project!
Boasting production credits from Niko PWRZ, Charlie Mumbles, Koach, Crazie, and of course Santos, The Collective does not disappoint. Our beloved demigods take us for another ride into both their and our own souls. Reaching into the chest of the listener and tapping on their inner warrior, it’s a bit of a blood-pumping ride to be honest. Versatility is flexed, pens are stretched, we get bass, bounce and bars all in a tightly-wrapped and well presented offering. Every track caught me off guard and I don’t mean that in an “I expected this to be dog water” way. The moment each new song started, I didn’t know what to expect. Although there is a clear theme and the beat selection is relatively similar, none were the same and every one had it’s own feel.
An easy and enjoyable listen from start to finish but the standout tracks for me are Pardon Me, Soundcheck, and Blaje. A solid offering from New Age Politics that carries some end of the night, ride home, or even pre-game energy.
“New Age Politics presents The Collective”
Collectively and respectfully a 7 out of 10. We will definitely have our eyes and ears open for more from these gents in the future.
For the Culture, not the Clout.
The album was fire ? through and through