Debut EP by Joseph "Lighter Shade" Cotarelo, rapper from Staten Island, New York, affiliate to the local group Othorized FAM, in turn composed by Lounge Lo (Cappadonna's brother), Crunch Lo (then in Dom Pachino's group Team Napalm), Molly-Q and C-Wigs (then in Ghostface Killah's group Theodore Unit). The extended play is formed by four songs, a quarter of hour of material. The tape is producer by four different beatmakers: Beat Fiendz Productions, 140 Productions, Just One from BeatFiendz and Cisco. The guests are Brook aka Angel Sent, Cisco MC, Lounge Low and Crunchlow of Othorized FAM.
The first choice is the title track, producer by Beat Fiendz. The soundscape is wonderful: sweet dusty strings, deep and phat bass line, dry midtempo drum machine, clean, clear, skeletal and lively hi-hat, the rhythm breathes deservedly for some seconds. Short intro, rapid chorus that repeats the title, I guess is Lounge Low, rapping silky by the author. There are homages to OC and Rakim. Chorus, then there's a second hook singed by Brook that has the appropriate moniker of Angel Sent, her voice is heavenly angelic. Lighter Shade returns dropping bars with a regular, smoothness, breathless style, realizing a classic track. Hook repeated by both guests, Angel Sent brights here, the rhythm is left to breath along with the voice of Angel Sent for another minute, scratches in the finale. Superlative choice.
The next piece is "Yellow Brick Roadz", skit from "The Wizard of Oz", splendid transition from the skit to the soundscape, tribute to Black Moon with that sample scratched. Deep, immense, stretched, enveloping, splendid, raw, sensational bass line, dusty strings loop, magic violins. One of the finest production of the year comes from the keyboards of the unknown production team 140 Productions, affiliated with Othorized FAM. The intro struggles to make its way through the scratches to enter the track, then Lighter Shade enters hardcore, smoothness, regular, delivering his battle with a dope flow over a skeletal downtempo drum supported by lively fresh hi-hats. Then, in the wake of the main emcee there's the brother of Cappadonna Crunchlow, spitting with an irregular rapping, energetic and raw, delivering is battle full of thugging, gangsterism, violence and drug themes, during which he suddenly gets into the theme and jots down some random referements from the film the track is based on. Chorus by Crunchlow, then Lighter Shade for the final stanza with an hardcore style, smoothness, breathless, dope with his stream of conscious. Long chorus, scratches for the outro.
Production credits for the third pick shows Just One from BeatFiendz. Intro scratched, amazing piano keys, deep, phat, rough bass line, splendid dry midtempo drum machine, this is one of the greatest rhythm of the year in hip-hop. Velvet rapping provided by Lighter Shade who drops a mystic battle with a breathless flow, phenomenal over a jazzy splendid soundscape. Simple hook with scratches, outro after two stanzas, the beat breathes at the end, another classic track, magnificent extended play. The last cut is "One Day They'll Say" with Cisco as guest and producer. Vinyl crackle sound, raw, powerful, robust bass line, dry drum machine midtempo, skeletal, guitar riff in loop, splendid sample. Rapping effortless by Cisco, Lighter Shade for the hook in rapping, he attacks the rhythm hardcore, tight flow, few bars, then Cisco MC again on this ethereal musical carpet, he tries to accelerate. The main emcee returns for the final chorus, this is basically a Cisco track. The beat breathes beautifully half a minute at the end for the outro.
Released by Times Runnin' Out Ent. and Rainbow Coalition Records, recorded in Staten Island, this cassette (then released even on vinyl) is the only thing published by Lighter Shade. I don't know if there's a more Staten Island tape than this. Classic EP. If it had been released under the name of any Wu-Tang Clan rapper it would be lauded as the EP of the decade. Impeccable, flawless, beautiful, ethereal, uplifting tape, one of the best of the decade without a shadow of a doubt. 9/10.
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