By T J Love
It’s hard to remember the pre-Web 2.0 days, before music and opinions about it were omnipresent and artists submitted their offerings for sacrifice or praise to the Hip-Hop blogosphere. Now, the Internet can make or break an artist, in every sense of the phrase. This is why the story of Binary Star is so compelling. In 2000 these cats from the frozen tundra Pontiac, MI dropped Masters of The Universe, an album whose slow burn began as excited and nervous whispers among those in the know, then hit the underground like a ton of bricks once the cat was let out of the bag. Binary Star got their rep the old-fashioned way, without the benefit of social media or videos on rap city, the word of mouth surrounding the group was virulent.
Among backpackers, Masters of The Universe is indisputably a classic, and I remember where I was, the weather that night, what I was drinking, and who told me about it. It’s that kind of album. One Man Army (now One Be Lo) and Senim Silla (“all is mines” backwards) spit relentlessly over subterranean soundscapes that crunched faces.
They parted ways due to creative differences and many fans were left pining over what might have been. It turns out the dynamic duo have in fact reunited 15 years after their initial formation and their first salvo is The Binary Star EP. The EP has six all new tracks in addition to 4 songs from their original EP, released in ‘98. One Be Lo produced three of the new cuts with Unjust, Maliki The Most High, and Gas Maske Daily handling the other three.
Love is Love is the first single from the EP making the rounds and whetting fans’ appetites. It’s a fitting re-entry, as Unjust laces the crew with a sound that’s as smoothed out and melodic as it is b-boy ready. One Be Lo and Senim Silla drop verses that feature technical excellence, announcing thwith all of their original chemistry still in effect. Both emcees have solo cuts on the project; Senim Silla with Wait and One Be Lo’s Thumper. Both cats rip their respective tracks with Senim Silla telling the story of an incarcerated man trying to maintain a relationship with his significant other and the associated trials and travails.
Thumper is a gem produced by Gas Maske Daily full to the brim with tinkling piano keys and phrasing but it’s subtle. The vibe is contemplative and reflective and One Be Lo plays on the words of Bible verses constructing a tale of a young man trying to find himself and perhaps in life. It’s a dope concept song and the sort of skill exhibited in the narrative aspects is something that’s been honed to a sharp edge over the course of One Be Lo’s solo LPs; he’s a thinking man’s emcee.
For a group that split over a decade ago, Binary Star has engineered a comeback devoid of any hiccups or tell-tale signs of anything being forced. Including four songs from their original EP, especially songs like New Hip-Hop and Conquistador, could have worked against them if their new product was lacking in any way. But it doesn’t as all the new tracks compare favorably to their earlier work. They haven’t completely recaptured the magic but they’re 85% to full strength and by the time the LP drops we can expect something on the level of their classic debut. The Binary Star EP is something to check for.
Out of 5
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