Wu-Tang - 8-Diagrams

Wu-Tang "8-Diagrams"
Posted 5 years ago, Dec 20, 2007, by Matthew Montanez.



Featured Artists: Wu-Tang; Genre: Hip Hop; Rap;
Wu-Tang's new album "8 Diagrams", released December 11, 2007, displays a large sense of musical growth and maturation in the essence of the underground clan's music. Wu-Tang is a group of artists that I have been listening to for as long as I could remember mostly because my older brother had always been into underground rap. As a result, I have become very familiar and intrigued with their unique style. However, the Clan's style has definitely evolved in this album. While each track has the same deep, complex, and highly sophisticated lyrical combinations signature of the Wu-Tang Clan, the album's beats are incredibly more complex than those of past albums. Each beat contains actual instrumentals; some songs even include guitar solos. Also, the beats are not constant throughout the songs. For the most part they build up or alter as a result of either added, removed, or manipulated instruments or backing vocals. Naturally, many tracks include audio clips from old-school martial arts movies: also signature Wu style. A few tracks have guest vocalists of various musical styles that really compliment the deep, dark vocals of the Clan. Also, a few tracks seem somewhat chorus oriented typical of modern style hip-hop. I first saw this as a drawback because I have always really appreciated Wu-Tang's constant onslaught of lyrics from the beginning to the end of a track. However, after I started to notice the overall musical maturation of the group, the chorus feel began to make more sense. Overall, "8 Diagrams" overflows with the intense, complex, and mind blowing lyrics that Wu-Tang has always been identified with while displaying more mature beats that reflect a growing group of artists. If you have any interest in Wu-Tang or underground rap, I suggest getting this album.

TRACKS
01 Campfire
02 Take It Back
03 Get Them out Ya Way Pa
04 Rushing Elephants
05 Unpredictable
06 The Heart Gently Weeps
07 Wolves
08 Gun Will Go
09 Sunlight
10 Stick Me for My Riches
11 Starter
12 Windmill
13 Weak Spot
14 Life Changes

Check out Wu-Tang at www.wu-tangcorp.com.
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Wu-Tang