Strange Journey Vol. 2

by CunninLynguists

Here we have the second of two mixtape-like albums from the CunninLynguists.  I enjoyed the first one, and feel much the same about this one.  It's quite a mix of new songs, remixes, one live performance, and the instrumentals for any new tracks.

The overall feel of this 'journey' is a little more energized than the Lynguist's more recent output has been, but there are still some examples of the slower, more thoughtful songs that I have come to appreciate them for.

The guest list is extensive, with appearances from QN5 mainstays like Cashmere the Pro, and Substantial, although there is no sign of Tonedeff, which is disappointing.  Other guests include Sean Price, Poison Pen, Witchdoctor, E-40, Evidence, and of particular note to me, Geologic from Blue Scholars.

Most of the production on this disk is by Kno, and it's the usual stuff from him.  There are lots of lovely beats with sped-up Chipmunk voice hooks, although this outing doesn't have the same atmosphere that some of his other albums have had (ie. A Piece of Strange).  There are two non-Kno tracks: a remix off the Dirty Acres album by Blue Sky Black Death, which sounds nothing like their usual output, and a J-Zone track that is the most infectious and memorable track on the disk (Cocaine).

As far as mixtapes go, this is pretty decent (and I appreciate the inclusions of the instrumentals), but I would be happier with a new CunninLynguist album.