The newest track to emerge from NO I.D.’s Cocaine 80s collective, Chain Glow, features some serious percussion that might at first sound a bitt muffled and chaotic but after a couple bars starts to provide a great counterweight to the smooth vocals by James Fauntleroy. The intro arrangement seems to contain some slight Afrobeat tinges, but it quickly gives way to the electric guitar which ads a layer of attention.
Seemingly out of the blue, Nas arrives. And even though he weaves a simple tale of honeys being impressed with his links it doesn’t put a halt to the winning streak his been on since last summer. Another vividly cinematic verse, passionately spit and right at home with the music surrounding it.
Cocaine 80s seems to randomly drop these tracks and EP’s on the web whenever inspiration strikes them, an approach fitting for a collective of musicians organically mixing influences and genres without restraint. It’d be interesting to hear where they take a full length project, though. While I’m crossing my fingers for that one, it’s heartening to hear Nas has apparently increased his working relation with NO I.D. to the point where he lends his vocals to disparate, seemingly commercially unattractive projects like this. It can be taken to imply Nas is simply enjoying these tunes, something his streak of strong performances is a testament to as well, and the prospect of more Nas + NO I.D. collaborations is one that’s hard to hate.
In the meantime, there’s this tasty tidbit to quell your thirst. Short but sweet.
