Trust Army — Army of Trust II

This album is a sequel of "Army of Trust", tape released the year before by the crew Trust Army and its leader 38 Spesh. Entirely produced by Spesh, the performers are Elcamino, Flle Lord, Grafh, The Musalini, Blass 89, Planet Asia, G4 Jag, Fred the Godson, Che Noir, FreeHustle, Rasheed Chappell, Street Justice, Black Geez and Estee Nack.

Elcamino opens the record on a splendid boom bap jazzy made by 38 Spesh, Griselda vibes here, excellent track. A good joint by Flee Lord & Grafh follows on a tight and essential jazzy midtempo rhythm of 38 Spesh. "Pick Ya Poison" presents a splendid jazzy midtempo rhythm with a soulful female sample looped tight in the background, sublime carpet for the deliveries of The Musalini, fit here, and Blass 89, smooth flowing track. "Sell It" sees the entry of Planet Asia – protagonist already in "Army of Trust" – with G4 Jag. "Jungle" is a short, fantastic choice: Elcamino starts immediately flowing, rough, driving, on a sparse midtempo jazzy rhythm of 38 Spesh, with distant looped sample in the background. Single verse, dope song.

The producer continues to bring out great rhythms, albeit quite similar: the next track has a dark midtempo jazzy beat to accommodate the smooth delivery of Che Noir, it closes Fred the Godson with a good flow, syncopated, rough. "Street Therapy" presents a solo of ReefHustle, an excellent velvet flow on a jazzy midtempo rhythm with a soulful looped sample in the background. Rasheed Chappell drops syncopated and shiny bars on a dark and syncopated jazzy rhythm, good production of 38 Spesh. An excellent boom dark bap jazzy midtempo deeply dark, provides the panorama for "Silent Threat", where Street Justice & Black Geez stand out. 38 Spesh is confirmed as a good producer with the latest cut, dark jazzy boom bap, midtempo, excellent sample, careful deliveries of Planet Asia and Estee Nack.

It's not an album, it's more an EP of twenty minutes with very short songs: this effort is another showcase for many underground rappers. Keep an eye on El Camino who has been going strong for years and could explode definitively in the next two. Keep an eye on Street Justice and Black Geez, Rochester wants to get on the map dragged by the artistic power of the heavyweight 38 Spesh who's establishing himself as one of the best artists of the period.

Highlights: "If You Want It", "Pick Ya Poison", "Jungle", "Strings of Pain", "Silent Threat", "Force Field".

Rating: 7/10.