| On Hello Cruel World, Sole aka Tim Holland returns with the Skyrider Band for his first full length since the split with Anticon, and his third album with the Skyrider Band. While much was made of Sole leaving the Anticon empire he helped create, there's a refreshing, newfound confidence and focus not seen since his now-classic albums Selling Live Water and Bottle of Humans. Listeners will notice that Sole has adopted a more deliberate flow, abandoning the freewheeling, hyper-timed assaults of his earlier work in favor of a biting clarity and all around accessibility. The record draws on the wealth of his newly-found freedom, tapping into the positivity and ethics of a DIY tradition he has always known and embraced throughout his career - transforming his past cynicism into a call to arms and personal empowerment. The Skyrider Band itself has been similarly transformed; trading in their dense soundscapes and organic touchstones for an impeccable attention to detail and more studio-centric productions. Featuring guest appearances by Sage Francis, Ceschi, Noah23 and Mestizo. | |
