Combining the soulful side of hip-hop with electronic elements is something that Pretty Lights first perfected, then artists like GRiZ and Gramatik carved their own lanes. The next “electro-soul” artist on the rise is most definitely TSIS favorite Manic Focus. Our appreciation for this Minneapolis to Chicago transplant runs deep as TSIS has premiered his first 3 albums Definition Of The Rhythm, Expanding Mind and Distant Perspective. Today we get the next chapter of Manic Focus with his latest album Cerebral Eclipse being released through GRiZ’s new record label Liberated Music and is available in full today, as a 100% free download on top of iTunes and Spotify.
After a first few listen throughs it’s abundantly clear that Cerebral Eclipse is without a doubt Manic Focus’ best work to date. The 10 track album manages to stay true to the wobbly, spacey, funk-filled signature sound of Manic Focus, yet explores quite a bit of uncharted territory. The collaborations and features are strong, including “Life Goes On” with GRiZ and “Bumpin’ in the Voodoo” with Dominic Lalli of Big Gigantic that have already surfaced, and “Space Scholar Synthesis” which is previously unreleased with Michal Menert. The feature list doesn’t end there, Focus also recruited fellow Chicago locals Prob Cause and Eryn Kane on “Trail Blazin” and The Coop on “Travelin In My Mind”. He even brought in NYC based drummer from Conspirator on “We Can Fly” which is another winner on the album. Cerebral Eclipse in it’s entirety is a smooth listen blending chill and heavy elements seamlessly; quite the milestone in the booming career of the soulful artist. Listen to the record in full below, grab a free download, and if you feel inclined pick up your copy through iTunes. Enjoy!
Sources – http://thissongissick.com/