Infinite Sounds UK: April 2026

It has been some time since I last reviewed anything that had a connection to Wu-Tang Clan. That was 2^nd Generation Wu, who featured on UK producer Planky’s single Rescue Me, back in 2023. Now I have the chance to be able to review some more Wu affiliate music courtesy of fellow reviewer JD Hip Hop Reviews. He was able to send me some stuff to review and the first of those is the recently released album Iron Curtain from Myalansky.

Myalansky named himself after gangster Mayer Lansky and rose to fame as part of the Wu-Syndicate from Virginia, which also included Joe Mafia and Napoleon. Wu-Syndicate debuted in 1998 on the compilation Wu-Tang Killa Bees: The Swarm, they followed that with their debut self-titled album Wu-Syndicate in 1999. Myalansky would release his debut album in 2008 titled Drastic Measures. He would also release two follow ups to that album with Drastic Measures 2 (2018) and Drastic Measures 3 (2021). Among a number of solo releases, including the M.E.D.U.S.A. trilogy (2023), he has also continued to work with Joe Mafia under the Wu Syndicate name.

So, with a pedigree like this, there is only one more thing to do, and that is to get straight into a deep dive into the album, which is produced by Wolf T Calzone’ and has features from Haylo Da G.O.D., Cise, Sicarii and Two Onez, alongside cuts from DJ King Prince and live instrumentation from Brian Butler. So, let’s get into it…

We kick things off with Manufacture Consent (Intro) which features an excerpt of an interview with Mayer Lansky over a chilled beat that features bass guitar and drums with heavy etheric vocals that give this one a laid-back air allowing you to focus on words of Lansky discussing the role of the media in making him a target of the authorities. Next up is Trick Knowledgey, the intro to which has this Baptist church vibe before the beat kicks in, bringing us a heavy sound of guitars and a pulse pounding vibe that gets your head nodding. The Baptist preaching air becomes the bridge to each verse as Myalansky drops some real knowledge, calling out the powers that be, who control the masses by seeking to trick us in a host of ways to become sheeple. There is even a lot to be said that the knowledge we are taught is a trick, as it not always the real truth, but a manipulated truth they want you to hear to point you in their direction and not to question anything. Think of the wealth of fake news and fake truths being perpetrated through the internet. There is plenty to give you pause for thought here.

Controlling Shares features Two Onez, this one has a multi-layered sound which keeps your head nodding while giving you plenty to move to as the sound keeps your mind bouncing too. The message here is all about not allowing anyone to fully control what you do. When you have spent years honing your skills and rising to the top of the game, make sure you are the one who has the controlling share of everything you have achieved. When you let others take control of what you do you are likely to become a puppet, making money for others while you will be life with nothing. The Iron Curtain Interlude brings a pulse pounding beat, strings, guitars and cuts as a short instrumental break. Casualties features, Haylo Da G.O.D. and Sicarii. It drops with a guitar heavy sound and an eerie vocal sample that seems to mess with your nerves as you listen. This on focuses on the events of 9/11 and the events surrounding what happened. This one makes you think about all the casualties there have been as a result of what happened all those years ago but, it also makes you think about current events and how we are all casualties in these politically charged events where it seems that control is the ultimate goal and we all end up being the casualties paying with our lives or financial security. Reminds us that we are all just pawns in the game of the elitists.

The Town sees Haylo Da G.O.D. and Sicarii remain alongside Myalansky. The sound here has a heavy Piano vibe that takes the forefront over the sparse beat. However, it takes nothing from the beat and keeps you moving, giving you a sound that is strangely infectious. On first listen you might think this is three emcees dropping some intricate and ferocious wordplay. However, if you are one of those who thinks a bit deeper and you read between the lines, this one speaks on how you need to be prepared on the streets anywhere in the US. Now it might not feel that way here in the UK but, it is that that way in most of the big cities, and you have to be ready for anything these days, especially after dark. Foolish King is another interlude with more about Mayer Lansky over a laid-back beat with heavy strings. Another short to make you think. Emmaculate features Cise, Haylo Da G.O.D. and Sicarii stepping up alongside Myalansky. The beat here is a classic sound and brings a smile as your head nods along with the guitar vibes in the background. This one mixes slick wordplay with more gangster references than you can shake a stick at. Giving you polished delivery with less flaws than diamond, this one is all about being perfect in all you do, because that way you are always ahead of the game.

We round off the album, well almost, with the Iron Streets (Outro) and this one gives us heavy, but laid-back way to end the album. The vocal element here is more on Mayer Lansky but, here it more in a reflective way looking back on the man and his legacy. As I said this is not the end of the album because there is more to come with Casualties (Black Tuesday) Bella Ciao Remix. This one strips back the sound of the original and gives it a whole new spin. The vocals remain the same, as does the message, but the delivery is switched up as each verse has a different beat giving each a whole new feel. This does not lessen the impact in anyway as full force of what it represents still hits hard. Making that thought of just who was responsible for what happened on 9/11, still one of the greatest unanswered questions.

Now, you might think that is it, but no, there is another remix here, which I have listed as a vinyl only track. I might need correcting here. This is TrickKnowledge, a remix of Trick Knowledgey. This one brings the beat to the forefront, backed by piano and a more operatic vocal sample. This remix gives the beat more power and thus gives the impact of the track a little more power. Not lessening the power of the original, just switching it up.

I think the important thing here is just to set that Wu affiliate link aside for just a second and to take this album at face value. Yes, there are little things that make you think that it has that association with it but, there is far more to this than that. This album can easily stand on its own two feet without the Wu association, and it is for that reason why you can understand that it has that association now.

The album is packed with politically charged narratives and solid wordplay that has conscious interwoven aspect that constantly asks you read between the lines. There are deeply thought-provoking aspects to this album that show a desire to bring a spotlight onto these subjects in a way that invites the listener to think far beyond the final notes of the album.

Although I remember that original Wu-Tang Killer Bees album, I cannot remember specific tracks, so this album also serves as a solid reminder of the quality and depth of what Myalansky has to offer in terms of being a Hip Hop emcee. His conscious lyricism and wordplay flows so well and he delivers every line with an internal strength that gives every line an energy that speaks to you on an unconscious level as well as that you hear. Something that gives it that, read between the line’s quality. The featured artists all do a quality job here too, bringing their own individual talents to bear on the project, and all complimenting the project perfectly.

The production is on point here too. Every sound scape does a great job of being the perfect backdrop for each individual track. You can feel that the roots of the sound all have the essence of that boom bap hip hop sound but, adding elements that work well with that gangster vibe too while not making it too over bearing as the gangster element is almost secondary here as it shows that you have to question who are the real gangsters. I also love that there are some cuts here that add that authentic feel to the whole Hip Hop vibe.

It was also good to have a couple of additional remixes here. Just highlighting exactly how you can change the impact of a track by mixing up the sound. Overall, this is a quality album that shows how the Wu-Tang name can bring a focus to a name that deserves to be heard, and in my view, this one does deserve to be heard, even without the Wu-Tang affiliation.

Iron Curtain is available now on Bella Ciao Records.

My huge appreciation to JD Hip Hop Reviews for helping me to bring this one to you.

I’ll see ya next time.

Steve.

LINKS

Grab a strictly limited vinyl copy here:

https://badwatch.store/iron-curtain

Myalansky on Insta:

https://www.instagram.com/rapdiamondvvs/

Wolf Calzone on Insta:

https://www.instagram.com/wolf_calzone/

Bella Ciao Records: