Ecstatic [Downtown Records]
4 out of 5 stars

Mos Def - Auditorium [Feat. Slick Rick]

Mos Def - History [Feat. Talib Kweli]

Mos Def’s fourth and newest solo release rekindles his political sentiments with a jazz flow that feels natural and playful…you can tell he had fun with this one. Bringing in producers that understand Mos and what kind of tracks work for his unique lyrical patterns is what makes this album. It’s not his best LP, but how could you ever live up to Black On Both Sides? However, it’s something fresh and a very close second, and reminds us that we’re lowering our standards by listening to radio rap.

Mos brings back more of that ’84 party MC style, as on songs like “Casa Bey,” but with way more intelligence and soul. No Mos Def album is all fun and games and Ecstatic is no different. But his political angst has shifted from black and white issues to the stark contrast between poor and rich qualities of life. The militant Mos is not lost, saying, “Until you get justice, you won’t get peace.” And starts the album with a classic recording calling for uprising of the people regardless of color.

Black On Both Sides was a classic because of the fluidity of the album, which took you through a journey of emotional highs and lows. Mos’ second solo album, The New Danger, lost that fluidity as he tried to make an album for the iTunes one-track minds, and the result felt forced and choppy. Ecstatic brings back that mixture of rapping, party MCing and sprinkles of soulful singing, all done by Mos, of course.

Mos Def is one of those artists that feeds off the people around him. We saw his funny side when working on the “Dave Chappelle Show”  and his Brooklyn lyrical ability on Black Star, and Ecstatic is no different. Working with Madlib and Oh No clearly brought out the jazz enthusiast in Mos, and the production blend and complement with one another as if Mos’ lyrics are another instrument, making one homogenous track. “History” is the standout track of the record, and with Talib Kweli making an appearance over an unreleased J. Dilla track, how could it not be?

Ecstatic is an album you’ll want to listen to the whole way through in its intended order, and proves that Mos could bounce back after the extreme fail of Danger. If you haven’t picked up Ecstatic—DO IT—this is a must for any true Mos Def or Madlib fan, and will inspire you to dig up some of your old jazz LPs.