It seems like more and more of Hip-Hop’s finest burgeoning producers are coming in from completely off the radar. Before The Grey Album, Danger Mouse was nothing more than a cherished childhood cartoon for most, and it was universally accepted that there were a maximum of eight wonders in the world until the 9th introduced himself on The Listening. Now it’s Nicolay’s turn to blindside you; have your smelling salts ready.

A foreign exchange in the truest sense of the phrase, The Foreign Exchange consists of North Carolina emcee Phonté of Little Brother and Netherlands native producer Nicolay. The two hooked up over the internet of all places, trading tracks and rhymes back and forth over instant messenger to create the b-side single for Little Brother’s critically acclaimed 2003 album The Listening, called “Light It Up.” At the time, neither of them would suspect that they were actually laying the foundation for what would become one of the sharpest and most innovative albums of 2004, the appropriately titled Connected.

Heads who appreciate 9th Wonder’s soul-blessed production will have to make room in their hearts for Nicolay. The similarities in the producers’ styles make it clear that the two share many of the same R&B and soul influences, though Nicolay uses his classical training and proficiency with drums, keys, and guitars to “explore” his musical structures a bit more. Imagine the product of a studio collab with Prince, Pete Rock, and 9th Wonder and you’ve visualized the essence of “Be Alright,” swells of moving and dynamic bass grooves and chord progressions flowing underneath tear-stained piano tones. “Let’s Move” is similarly affecting, Nicolay looping up what sounds to be an Aaron Copland-like American symphony recording replete with muted low horns and puckish woodwinds. Phonté again accent’s the music’s mood with reflective lyrics: “I apologized to my girl and my kid/ told I was sorry for the way that I lived/ a n***a always being gone so much/ been away so long I never realized he’d grown so much.”

Obviously Nicolay’s production isn’t solely responsible for Connected’s success; partner Phonté’s ability to pen skillful and honest raps, arrange stirring vocals, and deftly marry both to the producer’s impressive soundscapes is key to the effort’s satisfying vibe as well. He opens with standard free-flowing big talk on the low-end heavy “Raw Life” before dipping into a more substantive look at modern life over the buoyant warm and fuzzy distortions of “Brave New World.” “Sincere” has Phonté dealing with one of his more prevalent topics, the strain his career and constant separation puts on his romantic relationship: “two thousand miles away trying to call you/ to tell you about the road and all the presents I bought you/ but there’s tension in the room every time that I walk through/ and every other day another argument sparks you.” Moreover, Phonte shows his versatility on “Come Around” by stepping back from the mic to write and arrange strong lyrics for crooner Darien Brockington to sing.

Of course, LB fans can expect the Justus League fam to lend a much appreciated hand to the duo throughout Connected. In addition to his appearances on “Let’s Move” and the soul-stepping “Nic’s Groove,” Big Pooh rejoins his LB brethren on “Happiness,” giving appreciation for both the easy and rough parts of their journey thus far. JL affiliate Median sounds as at home as Pooh in doing some back-and-forth with Phonté on the duo’s dedication to their fam and their craft “All That You Are,” and “The Answer” is a sharp emcee round robin that features Halftooth recording artists Oddisee and Ken Starr. All emcees involved here are definitely spitting their “A” battle material, and the way Nicolay’s augments his crushed velvet loops with confrontational bass undercurrents for this belligerent track is marvelous.

It’s not often that one can say that a rap album is truly ‘beautiful;’ welcome to one of those rare occasions. Nicolay’s production transcends the trend of vintage soul looping that has re-emerged since Kanye hit the scene, the beatmaker’s work displaying an innate awareness of the musical intent the original artists he samples sought to convey with their compositions. Nic’s ability to translate the music into a Hip-Hop template and add his own evocative elements elevate the album to a level of quality that scant few rap albums even approach nowadays. Coupled with the adept and honest lyrics and vocals of Phonté, Big Pooh, and the extended roster of emcees and singers, and it’s no wonder that Connected is without question one of the best releases to drop this year.

Track Listing:
01. Foreign Exchange Title Theme
02. Von Sees
03. Raw Life
04. Hustle Hustle
05. Let’s Move
06. Nic’s Groove
07. Be Alright
08. Sincere
09. Brave New World
10. The Answer
11. Come Around
12. Happiness
13. Foreign Exchange End Theme
14. All That You Are
15. Be Alright (Nicolay’s Easybreezy Sunday Afternoon Remix) [bonus]
16. Call [bonus]
17. Downtime [bonus]


Recommended: Yes

Great Music to Play While: Hanging With Friends