Black Milk - Glitch in the Break (EP) Album Review

Black Milk - Glitches in the Break (EP)



To me Curtis Cross aka Black Milk is considered hip hop producer royalty and one of the last apprentices and connections we have to legendary J Dilla (R.I.P. his hero and teacher). Black hails from Detroit and unlike most guys involved in the game, kept his work there and after MF Doom and Sean Price both recommended Dilla as an apprentice, he went to NY and crafted his unbelievable sound. He's easily one of the most under rated producers alive today in Hip Hop. His credits not only include a couple excellent solo projects but crafted beats also for Elzhi, MF Doom, Lloyd Banks, Sean Price, Pharoahe Monch, Mos Def, Kweli, produced the whole Random Axe album, list goes On and on and on and on, so without further ado.....lets get to the review:

1. There are Glitches - Starts this project out hard showing what this albums beats will consist of and just lets the beat run its course. Great intro to Black Milk

2. Dirty Bells - We hear a radio scratch and then another soulful beat comes in something J Dilla would've produced. His flow to re-introduce himself. The beat with the bells and soulful beat mixed with scratching fades is phenomenal. Then after the beat fades we get a harder guitar riff to lead into the next track.

3. Ruffin - A lot harder beat with scratching and a totally different style emerges. A lot less intricate beat he categorizes in his flow as "Dirt Rap" and talks about Detroit in this one. I would've liked to hear a bit more of the riff we hear during the hook on this one but it didn't fit the style of his flow, but overall a nice track as well even if it was a different style.

4. Silence - A lot more mellow with the "silence" whisper riffs and a futuristic sounding back beat. Another standout track for Black himself with a flow that pairs perfectly with this beat and the hook. He really stands out on this one with his phenomenal word crafting using silence. Phenomenal song and beat . I love Black's unique bridges on each track to the next, this track to 1 for Dam may be the best bridge to intro the sample he uses.

5. 1 for Dam (ft. Fat Ray) - Maybe the standout track at least 1 for me with the phenomenal beat and scratching again reminiscent of J Dilla and Fat Ray's raw nasty style. The sample and riffs on this are just ridiculous man I am IN LOVE with this beat and I love how he just lets it ride at the end its a beat and sample that deserves it.

6. G (ft. Guilty Simpson) - Another standout track and the beat on this one might be the best on the album. The Old West style whistles and piano is ridiculous man and Simpson absolutely kills it as he does most beats but the way he flows on this track with his pauses is reminiscent to me of Guru (R.I.P.) and J Dilla just layin a track down together it is the seminal moment on the album.

7. Cold Day - this one uses a Biggie sample and a nice "Sunrise" sample from Motown 70's to make another soulful track. This one might be Black's best rhyming track. It's a very simple beat but an awesome bass guitar back beat he rides with precision with his flow. Another standout track this time for Black himself.

8. Reagan (ft. Fat Ray) - A shortened track with a raw beat for Ray to shine, probably the only track I could've done without but it isn't that bad just doesn't fit the rest of the flow of the album to me. The beat is still pretty nasty. Just a different style I guess

9. Break - The outro track is another very complex beat with several nice riffs and a scratch sample just to showcase Milk's phenomenal skill on the production table.

Overall - Even though Glitches is a shorter EP than his other albums, it is a lot more of a production showcase with less features than the other albums he's released and a couple REALLY really shine. His best compilation of beats since Random Axe's last album and might be better. It is no doubt with this EP that Dilla's apprentice would've made the man proud with a couple of these gems. It was close to a perfect A+ grade had the Reagan track been left off but overall one of the best I've heard this year ESPECIALLY production wise

Grade: A