Skyzoo: The Salvation

Skyzoo is not exactly a rookie. Some may remember him from his appearance on 106 & Park’s Freestyle Friday battles, but most know the Brooklyn native from collaborations with the likes of Sean Price, EPMD, Torae & Reks as well as critically acclaimed mixtape releases like The City’s Favorite and Corner Store Classic. His most notable release to date is his project with 9th Wonder, Cloud 9: The 3 Day High. Now, in 2009, Skyzoo has delivered his long awaited debut LP, The Salvation. The question is whether Skyzoo could deliver the album that many people expect him to make with his pedigree.

A refreshing part of this debut is the absence of guest emcees. Too many artists have begun relying on other big names to assist them and gain attention. This is a Skyzoo album and he keeps it that way. His good chemistry with 9th Wonder continues with standout tracks like “The Beautiful Decay,” “Like a Marathon,” and “Under Pressure.” Sky does seem to be energized by the more intense productions from the likes of Just Blaze, Black Milk & Cyrus tha Great. It is these particular joints that show powerful production can in fact push an emcee to greater levels. Look at the intensity and concentration laced in Sky’z flow, especially on the Just Blaze banger, “Return of the Real.”

Skyzoo’s introspective side emerges more on tracks like “Dear Whoever” & “For What It’s Worth.” Sky is a good lyricist, but does not force intricate wordplay when it isn’t necessary. His flow becomes a major strength as he’s right at home on basically every cut on the album. He definitely catches your ears on tracks such as “Penmanship” with lines like “I’m numb now cause all along what I’m giving you / is more than you imagined any ballpoint pen could do / hauling all minimal I ain’t roll a sleeve yet / breath of fresh air and I ain’t breath yet / third lap around and I ain’t leave yet / if I talk different or it come across different, all of this is just a reflex.”

The album does have its fair share of flaws though. “Easy to Fly” misses the mark with its predictability & surprisingly weak hook from the usually consistent Carlitta Durand. “Metal Hearts” doesn’t live up to the other 9th Wonder productions on the album, sadly. The skit at the end of “The Shooter’s Soundtrack” drags on way too long, and thus, kills the flow of the album at a terribly critical point in the project. Lastly, “The Necessary Evils” is a little too dated to be on this fresh project. It’s a great track, sure, but in comparison to a variety of tracks on The Salvation, it sounds out of place and untimely.

Nevertheless, there is a certain feeling of the beats running into each other as well. This is not to say the production is bad, but it becomes stagnant. Sky’s beat selection is too safe at times; he strays away from the more intricate backdrops and often chooses run of the mill beats that he can easily flow over. This safety net keeps Skyzoo in his comfort zone, which contributes to his at times boring monotonous flow. If he had stretched himself away from standard drum patterns and picked more challenging compositions, it could have lead to more memorable tracks.

Skyzoo succeeds in creating an album that lives up to the hype that he has created for himself over the last few years. Evidently, it’s not a flawless effort and it won’t be considered timeless. There are missteps but there is too much good to let the bad knock it down. The Salvation is a solid debut that shows that the seemingly seasoned Skyzoo still has room for improvement, but could make something really special if he reaches his potential.

80/100

Return of the Real

The Beautiful Decay

Penmanship

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