"A stargazer's guide to becoming one with the sky"
Cities Aviv released two albums over the course of 2022, each one playing off of the other's mannerisms and movements. Though born months apart from one another, this pair of hip hop projects are nearly identical, tailored perfectly to the time of year in which they were issued. Man Plays the Horn was a blessing for those left freezing their hearts out in the earliest days of February, warming up the speakers with an eighty-minute tape full of looping rhythms and soothing samples. The late October production of "Working Title for the Album Secret Waters" is far more focused, making up for its sibling's hyperactive tracklist with a crowded yet consistent collection of its own.
Like an online bulletin board of satisfying images and GIFs, this record is a collage of uncanny autumnal energy and dark solitude. Secret Waters' soulful overtones are mentally stimulating and playfully lethargic at the same time, cutting and pasting Cities Aviv's central character into a well-edited slideshow of vintage soul vocals and string-swept instrumentals. Longer pieces like Chozen / The Prevalence of Issues and Mysticism Redesigned let the magic flow on for what feels like a peaceful eternity, but the fast-paced temparament of Knowing Is... and 4 Quarter Talks are just as important in illustrating the influences of jazz and ambient music that make this LP such a treasure.
In comparison with its older brother, the tight-knit maturity of "Working Title for the Album Secret Waters" feels like a finished short film to Man Plays the Horn's chalk-etched storyboard. Both albums are extremely skilled in their slightly different areas of expertise, but the way in which Cities Aviv embodies both the artist and the curator of this immersive museum is particularly enchanting and arcane. This is by far one of the rapper's most significant statements, and he will no doubt go on to hone his craft to even greater heights.
- Duncan Reviews
Check CITIES AVIV Bandcamp for the rest of the variants.
All sales final. No refunds, returns, or order cancellations. Any problems with an order must be reported within 2 weeks of delivery (or within 3 months of shipment for undelivered orders). We cannot assist with any issues reported beyond this time frame. If your order is damaged, please keep the shipping box and all packaging material, as this evidence will be required for filing a shipping claim. If original packaging is discarded, we cannot file a shipping claim, and you may be responsible for re-shipment costs.
You will receive a shipment confirmation email with tracking information once your order ships. Please note it often takes a few days for the tracking number to appear in the tracking system.