Artist: Twilight Sentinels
Album: Meanwhile
Record label: F5 Records
Rating:
Reviewer: Knuckles

The Midwest invasion continues as Indianapolis-bred Twilight Sentinels link up with St. Louis-based F5 Records for the release of Meanwhile.... The long-awaited album from the Twilight trio brings that dusty-jazzy fantastic back to the forefront. Joe Harvey (producer/ emcee), Mic L. Knight (emcee) and DJ Topspeed form a complete union with beats, rhymes and cuts, something often overlooked in this day and age.

After a perfectly suited G.I. Joe-referenced introduction, these cats push you head first into a sea of crisp, funky drums and carefully chopped samples. "Move You" utilizes a thick bassline and fluid rhythm that helps do exactly that (...yes, move you!) while "Obey The Fist" maintains lyrical dexterity and boom-bap to the fullest as they deliver a P.S.A. of their own. "Connect The Dots" steps up the tempo as well as the vibe, proving the Sentinels aren't exactly one-trick ponies.

Meanwhile... isn't a perfect album and leaves room for improvement in select sections, but that should be expected with nearly any release. "Keep Up" dips into a bit of a lull, void of any captivating ideas or arrangements while "Autobiographic" offers little on the tail end of the record.

Ultimately, the Sentinels keep everything in-house, proving that you need not outsource half your project or depend on a mighty budget to create a solid product. The proof is in the pudding: develop a creative vision, pay attention to details and stay in your lane. All of the minute elements add up, such as transitions between songs, fine-tuned EQ'ing, track placement, variety of conceptual material and so on. This album doesn't take you to a new, experimental place, but rather plays to the group's strengths... another note that many artists need to observe.