Coming from the depths of the Detroit underground is Binary Star, a duo that first landed on the scene two years ago, catching heads’ attention with a four song EP, highlighted by the fatal attraction tale, “Glen Close”. Since then, their audience has patiently awaited the full-length release, which finally is earthbound in 2001.

The appeal of this duo from the D, definitely lies in its production. The art of sampling has certainly been lost in this new age of keyboard beats, but Binary Star bring it back with the rawness on tracks like “Slang Blade”, “Conquistadors”, and “One Man Army”. They also get props for ressurecting the jazzyfat vibes of the early 90′s on tracks like “Reality Check”, “New Hip-Hop” and “Evolution Of Man”. The production on this album definitely brings back something that has been missing from hip-hop music in the last five years, and for that, it’s appreciated.

The message that Binary Star gives is much like that of several other underground crews, such as All Natural or Schoolz Of Thought. The lesson that looms over the entire spectrum of their music is simply to do this art for the love and not for the money. While this angle is appreciated (much more than the sensationalized flossiness of someone like Cam’ron, for instance), lyrically, these youngsters don’t really cover any new ground that hasn’t been handled better by old pros like De La Soul or Common. The message does remain positive, yet its execution could have been fine-tuned a bit.

Still, while some may say that this album sounds dated, being that it was recorded over two years ago, (and emulating a sound from seven years ago,) these days, it’s rare to find sampled based hip-hop as well produced as this, and for that it deserves merit. “Glen Close” still remains Binary’s shining star, as the storyteller?s brilliant alliteration matches the layers and change ups of its production. While not many of the other tracks are as well executed as this one, clearly there is room for growth. In comparison to debut LP’s from A Tribe Called Quest or The Roots, the future may be similar for Binary Star, with their second or third albums demanding the most respect.