Dave Aju - Black Frames (2014)

The album completes a trio of full-length releases for the San Franciscan, which will be handled once again by long-term affiliates Circus Company. Charting two major shifts in Aju's life—splitting up with his girlfriend and moving away from his beloved hometown—the project is imbued with an acute sense of self-reflection, conveyed via the former MC's poignant lyrics. Love ("Psylica"), race ("Race On Haight") and politics ("Law") all crop up, supported by a heady melting pot of house, hip-hop and soul. According to the press release, Aju "also tips his hat to 60s psych rock, early 70s fusion, and the soft undertones of blues." Fellow San Franciscan Qzen and Chicago's DJ Tyrel Williams both put in appearances, contributing to "Psylica" and "Nobody Knows" respectively.