Uni-Verses isn't designed to be a game changer. Instead, it's an attractively familiar and nostalgic album, one that brings reminders of the informal collaborations found on early Lyricist Lounge or Def Jux compilations. Instead of sick rhymes, clever punch lines are the thing, with "Selling more units than Moon Zappa" (Tame One on "Before This") and "You simians just simulate" (Del on "Special") being representative of the overall flavor. What makes it all worthwhile is how complementary the aggressive Tame and the laid-back Del are, how fun their strutting and swaggering is, and how funky the tracks feel with Drum and Knowledge from the Parallel Thought crew providing a wide variety of throwback vibes. |