LATEEF THE TRUTHSPEAKER – TESTIMONY
Ya, ya, ya, shut up, I know I stretch the term “new” when I label something as Best New Music. Lateef the Truthspeaker’s album was released in November last year. But this album and artist are new to me, so good enough. Lateef hails from Oakland, and has been releasing music with other semi-underground artists like Lyrics Born and Chief XCel since the Nineties. And that maturity is present in his beats and lyrics. The song itself is about growing wiser and learning from past mistakes. But the winning aspect of this song is not the rapping, but the smart subtleties of the music. The vibe is laid-back and hypnotic, with that echoing guitar, reminiscent of the recently reviewed Bombay Bicycle Club song Lights Out, Words Gone. It is layered, and complex, but also perfect summertime music to wash over your ears while driving in the sun.
