Mos Def back on top form? (The Ecstatic - Mos Def)

Member Name: Catvillain

Product:	The Ecstatic - Mos Def
Date:	14/07/09 (6 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Mos Def's choice of beats, some hot tracks

Disadvantages: ALOT of filler tracks, Nothing lyrically interesting

After a few mediocre to poor releases since his classic 'Black on Both Sides' he's back with 'The Ecstatic'. Which has been dubbed as Mos Def's 'return to form' so is it any good?

When you put this CD in I would say so. The First track Supermagic hits you with the guitar heavy Oh No produced beat which Mos Def loosely 'rocks 'rather than rhymes. It could have been very forgettable if it wasn't for the beat. This theme of hot beats and universal rhymes continues through tracks 'Twilight Speedball' and 'Auditorium' & 'Wahid' (both produced by Madlib)
They are bangers that give the album a brilliant introduction but of no groundbreaking lyricism. That said Mos Def rhymes very naturally and they don't seem forced. I guess its just good music!

As it gets deep into the album the song concepts become more varied and experimental, which can work on tracks like 'The Embassy' which is fun and continues the Indian sample theme from the earlier tracks. But I found tracks like 'No Hay Nada Mas' which is rapped in Spanish and Pistola in a Jamaican theme, less interesting.

'Pretty danger' pulls the track back out with some solid flow raps. The beats continue pretty tight but the rhymes turn into sloppy singing attempts. Until the last solid track of the album 'History' featuring the help of Talib Kweli blesses your ears for sifting through the so-so tracks with an early 2000'style of sampled soul production with warm feel. Kweli delivers on this track lyrically which I think rubs off on Mos Def who spits the best verse on the whole album on this track in my opinion.

My verdict, cutting out filler tracks which were experimental and leaving maybe 9 or 10 of the hottest could have turned this into a modern classic such as 'Be' by Common or Q-Tip's ' The Renaissance'

The album isn't great, but the first 4 tracks or so are fire. Some of the best work I have heard from Mos Def in a LONG time but unfortunately an overall weak album because of the filler tracks. Not worth buying on CD for full price, but download the tracks you like I advise.

Summary: Not worth full retail CD price, best tracks could have been an EP.