You can only know someone who never shows their face so well, and Aethiopes still isn’t that exposé. But it isn’t meant to be. You may not know who Billy Woods is, but you know how he feels.
Aethiopes requires numerous listens and extensive research to fully comprehend, yet even on cursory listens, the album's scope, detail, and creativity are highly impressive.
Ah… so it isn’t overhyped
It really is that good. The first songs on this project are the least accessible. It gets easier to vibe as the project goes along.
Bars. Bars. Bars.
Holy mother of bars.
This is Billy’s first solo project since his 2019 record “Terror Management”. It was entirely produced by Preservation, the pair actually already worked together before. Preservation did some of the production, on his last solo record. Woods was also featured on Preservation’s 2020 compilation album “Eastern Medicine, Western Illness”. I heavily praised that record, so i was extremely excited to hear them collaborate again.
The first thing you’ll ... read more
Billy woods lyricism on this album paired up with features such as El-P, Quelle Chris and E L U C I D makes this album a truely hauntingly beautiful experience when backed up by the lush and dark instrumentals by Preservation. Amazing.
Favourite Track: NYNEX (feat. E L U C I D, Quelle Chris & Denmark Vessey)
Least Favourite Track: The Doldrums
1 | Asylum 2:42 | 89 |
2 | No Hard Feelings 2:15 | 89 |
3 | Wharves 3:08 | 87 |
4 | Sauvage 3:07 feat. Boldy James, Gabe 'Nandez | 90 |
5 | The Doldrums 3:40 | 80 |
6 | NYNEX 4:17 | 86 |
7 | Christine 3:31 feat. Mike Ladd | 85 |
8 | Heavy Water 2:23 feat. El-P, Breeze Brewin | 91 |
9 | Haarlem 3:19 feat. Fatboi Sharif | 83 |
10 | Versailles 3:07 feat. Despot | 86 |
11 | Protoevangelium 2:24 feat. Shinehead | 86 |
12 | Remorseless 2:50 | 92 |
13 | Smith + Cross 2:21 | 90 |
#1 | / | The FADER |
#1 | / | Treble |
#2 | / | Beats Per Minute |
#2 | / | Gorilla vs. Bear |
#3 | / | The Ringer |
#5 | / | Passion of the Weiss |
#5 | / | Stereogum |
#7 | / | The Wire |
#9 | / | Sound Opinions: Greg Kot |
#9 | / | The New York Times: Jon Pareles |