Review Summary: The air is rarefied.
Billy Woods thrives in minimalism. There is a stillness in Brass that is haunting, yet utterly enthralling. Perhaps the album cover is inducing a case of pareidolia, but some of the music here has the smallest hints of tribal influence that manage to flow seamlessly with the abstractly ambient production. The sense of stillness that Brass can invoke is by using beat patterns that are expertly looped and place the listener in an almost trance-like state.
It also appears that most projects that have the Billy Woods moniker slapped upon them are steeped in esoteric lyricism: as if the abstract production wasn't daunting enough. Yet, Brass has an undeniable staying power that is almost mystical. It's like you are under a spell. At 44 minutes, Brass doesn't overstay it's welcome: Still, I never questioned how deep I had ventured into the record, nor how many songs were left. Billy Woods operates in a wormhole where time overlaps like a crushed soda can.
I understand that this review may paint Brass to be a disjointed effort latent with contradiction and obscurity. However, that isn't exactly what is happening here. It is impossible to pigeonhole Brass into a corner, yet it is cohesive and wholly digestible in a single sitting. Billy Woods continues to push the boundaries of the genre, and Brass continues to move the flag down the line.
