Album Details

• Artist: 40 Love
• Album: Dreams Don't Sleep
• Label: 1st Sun Records
• Year of Release: 2012
• ME Rating:
• Reviewed by: carlita on 2012-08-15

Media

Receiving an e-mail about 40Love's, the Bay Area foursome comprised of Miss Haze, G-Off, producers Mikos and DJ Whooligan, third album release, Dreams Don't Sleep, I decided to give the Bay hella love, being that I will be "Rocking The Bells" in the Bay in 2 weeks. When I first saw them, Black Eyed Peas first came to mind (sexy, rapping lady in front, yup) and honestly beyond "Monkey Business", even with millions of records sold later, I haven't been impressed ("My Humps", seriously?!). But that's really where the similarities end. In general, we really haven't seen a great hip-hop group with three or more members for a while since the 90's Fugees, Digable Planets, ATCQ and the 36 chambers-dropping Wu Tang Clan. We all know Yay Area hip-hop has held it down for several decades but did this album help the group further carve a niche in a crowded, underground scene in order to fill their "infinite potential"?

Beginning the album softly with ukulele playing, the listener meets Miss Haze, who's more like Eve or Pepa from Salt-N-Pepa than Fergie. Her verses are tight and hold their own, complementing G-Off's aggressive, spitting flow especially. Production-wise, the jazz horns and EDM metallic/robotic sounds boost each song instead of overwhelming the vocals (which can happen often on EDM tracks). Although only nine tracks (which is too long for an EP but too short for an album), none of them are skip-worthy with dope highlights like child-game referencing, Asian influenced "Tiki Tiki" featuring Zumbi of Zion I, Miami-Vice and Beastie Boys espionage nodding "Bout 2 Bloom" (check out the video), 90's Sounds of Blackness tambourine beat-heavy "TakeAnotherLook" featuring Ben Schwier of The Park and "I Think Too Much", deserving volume-turning up subwoofer attention. Although you might "not hear it on the radio", don't "think too much" and cop this. Now.

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