2010′s Live From The Tape Deck gets one more video, this one directed by Kenneth Price. Album available now on Duck Down.

Directed by Kenneth Price, as heard on Live From The Tapedeck.

Skyzoo & !llmind have been building their individual reputations over the last few years with quality release after quality release. Skyzoo first grabbed our attention with a slew of  dope  mixtapes including 2005′s The City’s Favorite and 2007′s banging Corner Store Classic. After following up his mixtape success with the 9th Wonder collabo album: Cloud 9: The 3 Day High, Skyzoo brought us one of the best releases of 2009 in his debut album The Salvation. His record of excellence speaks for itself. !llmind has become one of the most sought after producers in the indie/underground hiphop scene. With production credits for Little Brother, Boot Camp Clik and Redman among others and a full out headknocker in El Da Sensei’s “Crowd Pleasa” on his resume, !llmind has also made a name for himself.  With their collaborative effort Live From The Tape Deck, Skyzoo and !llmind bring us the best of both their worlds.

In describing Live From The Tape Deck, Skyzoo and !llmind stated that they didn’t want to make a boom-bap album, but rather wanted to create something new for the fans to hold onto. Production-wise, Live From The Tape Deck gets it done. “Digital Analog” is a perfect illustration of what !llmind describes as ‘futuristic boom-bap”, a head-nodder fit for 2010.  The lead single “Frisbees” jumps off as the second track and absolutely shakes the speakers from beginning to end. !llmind and Skyzoo come together perfectly on this track, as Skyzoo tears the beat to shreds, dropping one nasty rhyme after another.  The duo brings the same kind of chemistry to tracks such as “Speakers On Blast”, “The Winners Circle” and “Langston’s Pen”.

Skyzoo’s lyrical talent  shines on Live From The Tape Deck. The track “Krylon” is a perfect illustration of Skyzoo’s talent as an emcee. Though he’s not what could be described as a “street emcee” or a d-boy, Sky always paints a vivid picture of life in the city, especially on “Krylon” where he spits: “White tee corners wit’ blue and whites upon ‘em / Brown paper stashes and grey sewers to support them / Purple tops is down, purple pouches of Crown / Black leather Bibles, gold robes and gowns / Green and white dice games, charcoal calibers / Silver hops out and burgundy the parameter / Running through burgundy cans, I can’t keep ‘em / Try painting the high ups but I can’t see none.” The lyrical barrage continues on “Kitchen Table”, where Sky drops the deep line: “dreams got wings/but they clippin em where they breathe at”. Dope.

Collaboration wise, Live From The Tape Deck works perfectly. The collabos are spread out to a point where album still belongs to Skyzoo and !llmind and not to the guests. “The Burn Notice” featuring Heltah Skeltah will fit on the Duck Down catalog for years to come, while “The Now or Never” featuring Styles P. and Buckshot and “Understanding Riley” featuring Rhymefest also satisfy. Hands down, the best collaboration and standout track of Live From The Tape Deck comes to us in the form of “Barrel Brothers” featuring Torae.  Sky and Torae trade verses, in a  lyrical tag-team match, with entrances and exits as smooth as Midnight Express. The track doesn’t disappoint as the duo of Sky and Torae bring another winner.

The only misstep in Live From The Tape Deck , “All About That” is minor as it’s more of a take it or leave it track.Some listeners will enjoy while others  (like this critic) will hate it. Overall,  Live From The Tape Deck is an absolute success and definitely one of 2010′s best. The production is stout and lyrically Skyzoo appears to have taken his talent to another level. Digital or analog, pick this one up for your system.

Skyzoo & !llmind debut their latest video off ‘Live From The Tape Deck’ for their lead track “Speakers On Blast,” directed by Derek Pike. The song is currently DJ Enuff’s “Heavy Hitter Pick of The Week.”

For fans in NYC tonight, watch a free live performance at 7:30PM EST from Skyzoo & !llmind at Best Buy Union Square located on 1 East 14th street, between Broadway & 4th Ave, New York, NY. The performance will begin promptly at 7:30PM EST & will be followed by an autograph signing of their new album in stores now on Duck Down Music.

For people residing outside of NYC, the performance will be streamed at 7:30PM EST via liveatbestbuy.com.

Following the Best Buy performance, join Skyzoo & !llmind at Katra on 217 Bowery (between Prince & Rivington) for B.L.A.P. (Beats *Love*Alcohol*Party).