February 5, 2024

Shabazz Palaces - "Myths of the Occult"


A new Shabazz Palaces release is on the way and features the new single "Myths of the Occult."

Ishmael Butterfly Butler floats between his OG group Digable Planets, the jazz-rap trio he's been part of since the '90s, and his new, spacier project Shabazz Palaces with the greatest of ease (from what I can tell), giving his full attention to each and while Planets haven't released a new record in nearly thirty years, Butler has been rather busy in the studio with the later. It was just this past fall when the group dropped their mini-album, Robed in Rareness, and now they'll follow it up in March with another collection of tunes, Exotic Birds of Prey, that features a smattering of guests. "Myths of the Occult" features Japreme Magnetic and while it clocks in at just under two minutes, the track clicks into gear with full force and gives a head spinning result in minimal time. Icy synths and a haunting, muffled voice gets the song started before forceful vocals come in hard once again leaving the track for the guests and not Butler himself. It's a sparse and direct tune that feels like one of the more down to Earth tracks we've heard from Shabazz in quite some time, but still sounds like practically no one else.

Exotic Birds of Prey is out March 29.

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