Hand me a Canada Goose and a pair of Timbs because this old school East Coast reminiscence is giving me the chills. Underground New York lyricist, Akai Solo is ice cold with his new EP, From The Burning East With Love. With what can best be described as a blended perfection between Wu-Tang and Gang Starr, it’s a reflection on an East Coast most probably weren’t aware was still shining. But shine is exactly what Akai Solo does with the 25 minutes he delivers.

 

Through nine tracks, he explores a range of stylistic and productive range without ever losing his core flow and cadence in the process. Eerily reminiscent to Gang Starr’s late front man, MC Guru, that flow – that cadence – that unapologetically fervent and meditative delivery – is what drives the EP. But, with five different producers on the project, Akai Solo has a varying degree of fluctuating stylistic influence that though never departing from a range of East Coast technique and tradition, aids in making the project more than just a work of New York’s past, but also of its future. 

 

Long live the East Coast.