"Noir," the new album from San Francisco and Seattle based Blue Sky Black Death, is a sweeping, shoegazing soundtrack reminiscent of early trip hop. The fourth studio album for Young God and Kingston, accomplished producers known for their collaborations with hip hop’s Jean Grae, Crooked-I and Hell Razah, "Noir" continues to build upon the duo’s cinematic style. Combining live instrumentation and sampling, the sound is intricate and ambient. The meditative layers in tracks such as "Where Do We Go," "And Stars. Ringed" and "Sleeping Children Are Still Flying" carry the album and create what feels like a composition rather than a collection of singles. Listen to all of "Noir" on Blue Sky Black Death’s YouTube channel.
-Whitney Phaneuf