Album Review: CYNE – Water For Mars (2009)

Album Review: CYNE - Water For Mars (2009)
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Potholes

Cultivating Your New Experience, better known as CYNE, has found their niche within the underground rap community. They understand what works well for them musically, and they do it. 2009’s Water For Mars, is a remarkably strong album, likely their best effort yet. Furthermore, it is a well-timed album, being that it has a very warm and uplifting vibe, which is perfect for a summer album (they rap “Sunshine on my mind whenever I’m with you” on the chorus of “Boombox Pimp”). This is a different direction than 2008’s Pretty Dark Things, in addition to being an allusion to their afro-centric music, also alluded to darker issues topically.

Water for Mars, however, is no goof-off album; there are a number of cuts with serious subject matter. Like on Pretty Dark Things they touch on their afro-centric and pride on various tracks. From the start though, it is apparent that this album’s purpose is to send positive messages to all. The title cut “This Year” (which may very well be the top track here) preaches taking steps to live a better life in all aspects. They get into how materialism and money play a role in the destruction of various parts of our society, and give off a call for help to empower struggling communities. On “I Never” they discuss what has become a recent hot topic in hip-hop – the discussion of fake rappers, or rappers who advocate certain things in their music yet do not do the same in real life. CYNE also drops a pair of tracks that serve as ode to the beauty of women.

On the production side of things, Speck and Enoch are on top of their game. The aforementioned “This Year” sets the tone with a warm and soulful vibe that carries out through the whole album, giving it great cohesiveness. Water For Mars is just one of those albums that emits optimism in every sense, perfect for ushering in a warm and sunny summer. It is likely to stand atop numerous year-end lists, and at the height of CYNE’s portfolio.