DON OF DIAMOND DREAMS THE
Shabazz Palaces’ Black Up, the group’s Sub Pop debut, was recently hailed as one of the best albums of the
decade by outlets like Pitchfork, Gorilla Vs Bear, and Variety. Pitchfork summed it up thusly: “Black Up is
drowned in murky instrumentals and bombastic, introspective rhymes. The sounds flirt with jazz but also
root themselves in a firm understanding of silence, or the sparse magic of simplicity. The songs teem with
unexpected climaxes…From great mystery exploded an album of impossible vision.”
That “impossible vision” has continued to confound and engage Shabazz Palaces fans over the course of
four acclaimed albums and two EPs. Each release feels like an evolution, letting the music speak for itself,
while slowly revealing more about its creator.
With The Don of Diamond Dreams, the group’s fifth album, that spirit remains, this time embracing
modernism in hip hop and rap. Featuring 10 tracks in 43 minutes, the album features the highlights “Fast
Learner (ft. Purple Tape Nate),” “Chocolate Souffle,” “Bad Bitch Walking (ft. Stas THEE Boss), and “Thanking
The Girls.” It also features contributions from singer/keyboardist Darrius Willrich , Seattle’s OCnotes (who
collaborated with Shabazz leader Ishmael Butler on the KnifeKnights project), Los Angeles musician Carlos
Overall, and bassist Evan Flory Barnes.
