Zion I

With this refreshing and uplifting effort, Berkeley's Zion I distinguish themselves amongst the bustling Bay Area scene. While they have already turned heads for the drum & bass inflected single "Inner Light," it's only a taste of what Zion, Amp Live and DJ K-Genius bring to the table. While there are other dalliances with hyper-kinetic drum patterns, the group successfully flips many styles with Zion's righteous lyricism operating as the common denominator. Reflective entries like "Trippin'" and "A Little Change" nestle comfortably next to the high energy of underground favourite "Critical" with Planet Asia and the frantic posse cut "All The Way." While building on new-school jazzy vibes and vintage vocal snippets, the impressive airy production of Amp Live gives off a futuristic radiance complementing Zion's conscious lyrics, making Mind Over Matter a truly invigorating affair.