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The Bay Area is truly representing here at Obnoxious Listeners. First we let you know about George Watsky, then Dahlak Brathwaite, and now we’re keying you into our next big find - The Tones. I don’t know what magic hip hop fairy dust is being spread over that area, but the talent-level is excessively high. It reminds me of the recent outburst of artists from Chi-town a few years ago - Kanye West, Common, Lupe Fiasco, etc. That was some good times …

The Tones are a duo from Stockton, CA and they just released their debut album at the end of last year entitled Dreamtalk (2008). Dreamtalk shows the versatility of both rapper-producer Retro and rapper-signer Suhn. Retro can sample soul artists with the skills of Kanye, can switch it up to some layback beats like the late Dilla, and then come back hard with some head bopping beats like Hi-Tek. The crews lyrics are not jut conscious, but purpose driven like Dead Prez. The spit lyrics like:

now brown sister don’t you lose hope, the world is bigger than you know
you should open your mind and let it go, you got potential beneath so let it show
and I’ll continue to speak to let you know, the tones got your back fo sho
you living in the ghetto but you workin’ for more

———————-

if you could change the world today, what would you say
i just tell em “peace”, cuz life is an energy
i heard that music is the resource to being free
so the tones speak loud now, no need to be afraid if its how we get that

The track From the Ground Up reminds me of a track off Dual Consciousness. I wonder if they’ll ever be a collaboration between the two artists in the future? The track Invited Me on the other hand takes its originality from Brown Sugar. Great soulful beat and a flow that is comparable to the Might Mos Def.

The Tones are soulful, melodic, and have this great positive nature to them when they rap. Though other reviews have compared them to artists like Common, ATCQ, and Little Brother which they do sound like in some ways, I think The Tones are unique. And what makes them unique is their choice in production style and the ability of Retro and Suhn to flow together so well. That is hard to come by and that makes Dreamtalk so great to listen to.