By
It has been some time since I last reviewed anything that
had a connection to Wu-Tang Clan. That was 2nd 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:
https://www.instagram.com/bella_ciao_records/
https://badwatch.store/bella-ciao-records
https://www.youtube.com/@fgivoriginalart
VIDEOS
Iron Curtain Full Album
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