Cassette Review // Abdul Hakim Bilal "Black Boy" (BLIGHT. Records)

https://music.blightrecords.org/album/black-boy

The music of Abdul Hakim Bilal is quite interesting and this cassette, "Black Boy", is broken down into three parts.   There are themes to the music throughout the cassette but it also has distinct pieces so you can tell which you're hearing from song to song.   The singing can come out like moans, almost like whining, and there's this deep bass drive rock feeling to it all as well.

One of the biggest musical comparisons I can make with this sound is of the band mewithoutYou who have that sort of trippy / hardcore / post hardcore way about them.   It can feel angelic but also metal at the same time and I'm just not sure who to compare that combination with.  

On "Not Free" there is this cool jazz feeling, the percussion is right on and there is almost a chanting to the rhythm of it all as well.  "Purged (A Comedy)" has big swirling tones with accompanying piano keys and singing.   Those angelic ahh's are in here and it goes into this loop as it comes to an end.   I most like that this cassette has that hardcore / post hardcore / math rock way about it even though it's a different approach from what you're likely used to hearing.