Iam
L'Ecole Du Micro D'Argent

THE REVIEW

4:00 AM. The entire city is asleep. People are nestled in their blankets, nocturnal animals make the atmosphere of the metropolis gloomy and eerie. A drumroll. "Tumb tumb tumb." Silence. A loud snap of fingers. Silence again. In the distance, booming, deep voices can be heard. They are coming closer. Very close. At first, you are confused. But then you realize, you understand it’s them. It’s Iam. And you feel reassured.

You insert the CD into the player. And you cannot resist such perfection in hearing a musical harmony of such a high level. Just listening to certain musical gems makes you feel better, wakes you up, and makes you experience emotions like few others. It's time to talk about the European scene, and especially about what is defined as the most beautiful album ever to be created on the old continent of this musical genre. Not surprisingly, it comes from what is the most evolved scene in Europe, the French one. And the diamond tip of this scene is unanimously considered to be the veterans Iam, namely Akhenaton, Shurik'n Chang-Ti, Freeman, Imhotep, Kheops, and Kephren. The shaolin-style sounds and atmospheres and the lyrics rich in references to martial arts and samurai-flavored stories have no rivals. It's them, Iam.

It's no coincidence that this group boasts excellent guests like Timbo King, Dreddy Krueger, and Prodigal Sunn. Sixteen tracks make this LP a masterpiece still relevant today and not confined to France alone. There are few unremarkable pieces and many splendid ones contained in this NON-COMMERCIAL product, starting from the first track which admirably opens this album like "Dangereux" which enlightens us on the alleged freedom of expression in France, "La Saga", "L'Empire Du Coté Obscure", "Peti Frère", "Quand Tu Allais, On Revenait", "Un Cri Court Dans Le Nuit", and the enormous final track "Demain, C'est Loin". Even though it is said that Europe can never compete with the American musical scene, we cherish this pearl of inestimable value. A whirlwind of dreamlike sounds and atmospheres flavored with the conscientious narratives of the two MCs Akhenaton and Shurik’n. To be taken without the slightest hesitation.

And meanwhile, the city wakes up, and the people who until then had sweetly surrendered to sleep, rise and begin, as they do every day, the routine of everyday life.

Shit Hole!