Inner Realmz is a production duo from Los Angeles, California consisting of Masta Cypher Devine & Goomson. Since the beginning of the current decade, they have been making waves in the west coast underground scene since their first 2 tapes. SP 1000 and Build & Destroy followed by Low End Wizards as well as its continuation and Digital Chains. Goomson happened to team up with Broke last summer for a collaborative beat tape Heavy Shipwreck featuring the talents of Broke behind the boards for the A side and of course Goomson on the B side in addition to Masta Cypher Devine doing closer. I was interested though their 6th tape since I personally found the cover to be reminiscent of black metal music.
“Digest Culture” sets the tone for what's to come with a 47-second spoken word intro accompanied by kicks and snares, while “Cymatics” works in some pianos while keeping it dusty with drum patterns. “Recognize Absence” mixes funk & boom bap along with a prominent flute, but after the “Therapeutics” skit, “Mighty Healthy” starts weaving those summery guitar licks before the kicks & snares that come later.
After interlude 'Emulators' which combines spoken word and keyboards, 'Pantheon' returns to boom bap keeping the pianos untouched, while 'Neural Dust' gives off more of a hypnotically raw vibe in general. “Renknown” ends the first half of the tape with masterful piano playing just before “Aspersion” adds the kicks and snares back into the picture that when I listen, I can't help but imagine a rainy day in Times Square or any other big city.
“Desirous” begins with a vocal intro by Guru from one of the biggest duos in the history of hip hop culture, Gang Starr, until we get another boom bap, in addition to the chord tone that ignites a somber atmosphere that leads in “Radio Silence!” taking a darker, eerie aesthetic turn as the kicks and snares remain in tact. The keyboards on “Daily Commute” seem more intense in front of the downbeat/upbeat drums, while “Back to Source” brings back the jazz influences significantly.
After the “Imitators” sketch, “Vesica Piscis” is another piano/boom crossover, while “Ruggedness & Knowledge” has to be one of my favorites on the entire tape. Especially the crowd of 4 starts reminiscent of my favorite production duo of all time The Neptunes, who are unfortunately on opposite ends of each other for the brand name Pharrell & Chad Hugo are known as. Even the final track '3rd Eye Spies' is a standout conclusion Almighty aggressively.
I said so when I reviewed Stretch Money's new EP To the West…with Love A few weeks ago and I'll say it again right now: Los Angeles will always be my second friend, being from Detroit and I have to say Inner Realmz have a very promising future as an unstoppable underground production duo. Each expertly chosen track and neat jazz samples send the brain on a calm, frenetic trip down memory lane with every whistle and rattle.
Rating: 8/10