On OBLIVION, Black Noi$e brings eclectic and wildly energetic compositions that help cement his legacy as one of Detroit’s finest producers

Detroit electronic musician Black Noi$e is among the most exciting musicians of the last few years. Eclectic and experimental, he has carved a unique lane for himself, creating visceral, techno-inspired beats and textured compositions that are nothing short of utterly captivating. His 2018 project Illusions was quite a highlight for me personally, with hard-hitting beats and a visceral tone throughout that sounded dark and menacing. He is back with a brand new album titled OBLIVION on Earl Sweatshirt’s own label Tan Cressida, and it’s nothing short of incredible. With a plethora of features throughout, the album is dynamic, sonically and aesthetically diverse. Each track brings a new energy, showcasing the extent of Black Noi$e’s talents as a producer.

The album starts off with the short opener “14 Trillion” and flows into “Sorry” featuring Raphy. It features a suffocating vocal sample and a visceral beat that rips through the atmospheric instrumental. “Tight Leash” with MIKE features desolate keys and an introspective, gloomy verse from the talented artist, who continues to impress with each and every release and feature. The colourful “The Band” features Liv.E and is a quirky, soulful cut that breaks the dynamic and hard-hitting tone of the previous tracks. Earl Sweatshirt’s feature on “Mo(u)rning” is probably my favourite. His animated verse and usually introspective verse is poignant and intricate, with a woozy, subdued beat with hard drums throughout. The r&b inspired tone of “George’s Baby” featuring GVVAAN is excellent too, with a phenomenal flow and a high-energy, warped out beat. duendita’s vocals on “Glitch” are angelic. The glitchy and hard-hitting beat is just incredible throughout, with a loud, dominant energy that just hits. One thing I love about this album is the fact that Black Noi$e continuously pushes sonic boundaries of electronic and techno music, while forcing musicians to work out of their comfort zones. Pink Siifu on “Oblivion” is an example of this. The beat features heavy drums, eerie synths and an energy that is both infectious and pretty damn hellish. To be fair to Pink Siifu, he did release a phenomenal punk album this year with NEGRO, but I haven’t heard him on production quite like this, and he fits perfectly on this beat, flowing effortlessly throughout. Danny Brown’s flow on “1999” is crazy, and I’m really happy he’s able to maintain such consistency with the quality of his verses. He’s an elite emcee, and I can’t wait for his next album. “Mutha Magick” is my favourite track, hands down. The energy of that industrial beat, with it’s hard-hitting drums and BbyMutha’s incredible verse make for a flawless combination. ZelooperZ’s verse on “Bonnie & Clyde” fits perfectly with the drum-heavy and cacophonous beat. The “33” interlude is a more melodic monent on the album, while the closer “Dragon Dance” is a sublime closer to the album. Detroit duo Cousin Mouth are a feature on this project, and they bring such infectious vocals and keys to this project. The atmospheric, colourful tone of this track makes it a clear standout on this album.

On OBLIVION, Black Noi$e pushes his sound forward, bringing eclectic and wildly energetic compositions that add to his legacy as one of Detroit’s finest producers. From the dynamic production to the incredible features, this is an album to remember, and I’d recommend it to everyone. Incredible album, truly!