In Cassette City, Philly-born multi-instrumentalist Lushlife, a.k.a. Raj Halder, has found a beautiful mesh of beats and flows, delivering a very respectable sophomore release. This album came as a breath of fresh air; only a few tracks in, I was convinced that this is a serious release deserving of recognition. There is a great variety of flavor on this album, from neck-breaking beats to airy Beach Boys harmonies, which should satisfy the most intimate hip-hop head as well as the hearts of indie kids worldwide. 

As a classically trained musician, Halder has found a way to meld his polished knowledge of music theory with raw and grimy sample-based sounds to develop a surprising style rich in authentic hip-hop flavor. For the most part, the feeling is on the hype and uptempo side of things, with such gems like “Another Word for Paradise,” featuring the mid-'90s representatives Camp Lo. Halder brings a strong dose of boom-bap beats, with a nice portion of horn and vocal stabs, nicely topped off with a serious amount of vocal samples to fill in the choruses. 

Given Halder's background as an instrumentalist, I was blown away by the verbal skills he displays throughout the entire album. I wouldn't say he has the most authentic of flows, but what I do notice in his delivery is a wealth of confidence and patience on every song; it's mostly in the wordplay and flow, with less emphasis on metaphors. Cassette City is a definite gem; every song is out to uplift and refresh, like a tall glass of aural Kool-Aid on a hot summer day. Enjoy. - Bryan Covet