Nexum (INZO, Blookah)

We pore over bizarre concept albums, we herald culturally shifting projects in retrospect, and we obsess over sound quality and industry importance like a moth drawn to flame. But, sometimes, it's easy to forget that an album doesn't need to be glorious to be good.

"Nexum" is one such album. Drawn from the combined talents of INZO and Blookah, both of whom are well-respected producers in themselves, this project is a wild ride of ups and... well, pretty much exclusively ups. I don't mean ups in terms of production quality - though, also that - but in terms of mood, because "Nexum" is essentially a pick-me-up in musical form. Joyful and upbeat, INZO and Blookah construct the funkiest grooves and slinkiest synth slides, slinging a tangible zeal into every track on this project. Indeed, "Nexum" doesn't hoist some mind-twisting narrative or eye-opening political commentary, and it's easy to dismiss a piece of work purely on those grounds, but, when the sun finally sets over the sprawling empire of music, the only thing that remains illuminated is the core belief that music means enjoyment. And that illumination is what "Nexum" is all about. This album is the light that makes you feel lighter; the flight that makes your spirits flutter; the beat that gives you reason to be upbeat. With its pseudo-psychedelic, freeform production signature, "Nexum" rattles off some insanely dynamic beatwork, kicking up rhythm from pristine sound design and a couple of well-mixed vocal features. But we wouldn't be this high up on the rating ladder if these two delivered subpar production behind this mask of entertainment. In truth, this album has some of the cleanest, most elaborate sonic crafting I've heard in a hot minute. The mixing is all intentional, the sound design is vivid and intricate, and the almost polymathematical ability to seamlessly switch between rhythms, genres, and ideas is genuinely really impressive. "Nexum" is here to have fun, but it's dressed to impress. Whether it's cathartic melodic dubstep, groovy house, or even a hip-hop beat thrown in the mix, INZO and Blookah don't miss a beat - both literally and metaphorically.

So I don't expect this album to rock the airwaves or spawn in the next musical Renaissance. But this is still a must-listen if you're in the mood for a blissful, no-holds-barred experience that will inevitably end with a spring in your step. Yeah, there's not really an element of cohesiveness, but I gotta tell you, the freeform nature of this record is simply... refreshing.