Khalil Nova ft. Akumasanti - "NovaCouncil on Attack"

"Only cosmic n*ggas, conscious n*ggas feel me / I was blessed by the gods, I love who I be" - Khalil Nova

Mankind is rich in celestial events. Upward eyes, and archiving minds, will note 2014 been a heavenly active. Despite its ominous name, the Blood Moon did not leave a single mark on any door post. A Super Moon or two may have postured with a larger than normal build; but this was merely the product of stacking a freak cycle. Even the sun felt the need to flaunt some dramatic flare. As a result the sky continues to be humanity's best and most eclectic source for wonder and entertainment. Safety, though is not guaranteed. It only takes one wayward skipping stone to remember that Earth plays only a miniscule role in the universe. Outer space is distant but not immobile.

Fortunately, not every galactic visitor is intent on causing harm. Khalil Nova - part-time inter-dimensional explorer and full-time mahjin boo afficionado - is one such case. Even if the Shining Being's visits to the blue planet have become increasingly scarce, the messages that do arrive still capture the imagination. On occasion the god of lo-fi might even bring with him a travel companion to beat the inevitable loneliness of light-years long time-and-space trips. What follows is the one such instance.

The song below finds Khalil Nova towing the line of his post F*I*N*D transition. Alongside fellow galactic resident Akumasanti - whose voice is reminiscent of Fiend - the more spacious arrangement of earlier Nova staples ("Blunts2DaSun" and "Puma" are just two examples) is jettisoned. The interstellar medium, as it were, has instead been replaced with the persistent presence of hi-hat rolls; which is not negative in and of itself. Rather a it is as if a new element of intrigue has been introduced. While not nearly as captivating as the half a Sumerian track without drums Kuma and Nova two performed on 808s of Death 2 earlier this year, the tempo shifts on "NovaCouncil on Attack" deserves attention. Otherwise, the joint maintains Nova's status as being able to do the most with a limited arsenal of sounds. Sit and be swayed by these tidal flows.

- John Noggle