Produced entirely by Kno, the album’s pace is handled excellently as each song bleeds into the one right after it. Many listeners won’t pick up on the subtleties of Kno’s well placed samples, such as “Predormitum (Prologue)”, which teases a classic B.I.G. verse, only to literally lead into “Darkness”, at which point the dream has taken shape. This brooding vibe carries throughout much of the record, excellently manifesting itself in both “Hard As They Come (Act 1)” and “Murder (Act 2)” – two back to back songs in the same key (another subtlety) – where Deacon, Kno, Freddie Gibbs, and Big K.R.I.T. ponder the meaning of death at their hands.

Kno’s sound is as ethereal as usual, using 60′s folk vocal samples, slow burning drums, and heavy, atmospheric basslines. Much like early Dungeon Family records, his production takes the listener into the abyss, as Deacon paints steam-of-consciousness pictures on tracks like “Shattered Dreams” and “Starts Shine Brightest”. The crown jewel is the topic at hand itself, “Dreams”, as Deacon and crew claw at a blurred barrier of waking life.

Phenomenally produced and soulfully rhymed, Cunninlynguists have done it again with Oneirology. While it did take the crew a while to settle in on a defined membership and style to call their own, at this point they have easily carved out their niche and are filling it perfectly. Finally earning their respect in the rap game, Oneirology is the group’s dream defined.

Natti, Deacon The Villain & Kno return with the first leak from Oneirology, their newest studio album since 2007′s Dirty Acres. “Stars Shine Brightest (In The Darkest Of Night)” is a battle-cry for anyone just trying to make it through the struggle, which nowadays includes nearly all of us. Keep on pushing!

This joint comes from Deacon and Sheisty’s Niggaz With Latitude project dropping November 30th digitally, and December 14 physically.

LISTEN: Deacon the Villain (of CunninLynguists) + Sheisty Khrist – “Ascension” (MP3)

Deacon the Villain (of CunninLynguists) + Sheisty Khrist – “Ascension” (MP3)