konnte aber auch noch nie was mit ihm anfangen.

After creating a healthy buzz with a couple do-it-yourself CD's, Aesop Rock positioned himself to be one of independent hip hop's poster boys with 2000's Float. It was Labor Days released on then up-start Definitive Jux the following year that made an indy superstar. Over the next LP and two EP's, the Long Island native has changed his sound constantly - often with his own dense production - and evolved his equally obtuse and obscure rhyme style. So it is with little surprise that None Shall Pass is a completely different animal than any of his other releases.

To the delight of many fans, this change in sound this time around is largely due to a larger contribution from longtime producer Blockhead. Aes Rock's wordy style has always sounded better over Block's melodic beats rather than his own cluttered, Bomb Squad inspired backdrops. The duo pairs up for the lead single and perhaps Aes Rizzle's most daring song to date. The title track takes the BPM's up a notch and damn near sounds like a dance song. Thankfully, it doesn't sound forced at all and is undoubtedly one one of the albums finest moments. Don’t take this as a trend from Blockhead and Aes as the rest of their work together is pretty much business as usual. Standout tracks such as Fumes and No City are the usual multi-layered, down tempo masterpieces. His other contributions, the funky The Harbor Is Yours and the appropriately spaced-out Bring Back Pluto are certainly no slouches either. Title track aside, the albums most distinctive song (and once again Blockhead produced), is the LP closer, Coffee. Most notable for both Aesop’s Jigga-esque bounce and the Mountain Goats’ John Darnielle’s stellar guest spot.

Aes still put in his work behind the boards, fairing very well when its all said and done. Keep Off The Lawn and 39 Thieves featuring El-Producto aren’t his best work, but he more than makes up for it with the likes of Citronella (truly made by incredible use of a classic KRS vocal), Five Fingers and Catacomb Kids. The latter is my personal favorite on the LP, the beat is pure heat rocks and Aes Rock is at his best addressing the state of today’s youth in the way that only he can; “garbage pail kids unite at the mall food court/chasing cheese fries with banaca/they had shut the school down early there were bombs inside the lockers/no concept of the problem, they responded like a snow day.”

El-P stops by again to rap and produce Gun For The Whole Family, which is nothing special unfortunately. The same can be said for the Rob Sonic featured Dark Heart News, which sounds like it would fit much better on a Rob Sonic album. No disappointments abound when Breezly Brewin and Cage come by though as Getaway Car is quite the posse cut. Despite a few potholes, this may actually be Aes Rock’s best LP to date. Labor Days is easily the crowd favorite and there is nothing here that can touch Daylight or No Regrets, but there are also isn’t three snoozers here anchoring down the last half of the album. Time will tell which body of work is better, for now, just enjoy one of 2007’s dopest albums.

This track will be featured on S.T.F.U.Y.M.C.A. (Shove These Fossils Up Your Maginificent Creationist Ass), which is dropping around Christmas. The mixtape will feature original songs and remixes from some of our favorite artists of all time including A Tribe Called Quest, Tech N9ne and Aesop Rock to name a few. We will be releasing one new remix from the mixtape each tuesday until it drops, so check back frequently at http://myspace.com/bossasaurus for our latest music.