My initial thoughts when I first heard of this collaboration were not entirely optimistic. I haven’t been terribly pleased with Talib Kweli‘s output as of late, and you never know what you’ll get from Pretty Lights as he continues to break ground in the mainstream. But, I think “Around The Block” ended up working out pretty damn well.
The beat is rooted in blues, grooving along with some futuristic synthesizers that don’t wobble us to our limits. Throughout the song Kweli’s voice is sampled, too, making way for a standard verse in the middle of the song. Nothing mind-bending, but “Around The Block” is reminiscent of some of RJD2’s most stunning work, as Pretty Lights adds additional layers of soul and blues singers to make for yet another memorable production.
Watch the stop-motion video for “Around The Block” below.