Self Scientific, Trials Of The Blackhearted

Since their debut LP The Self Science in 2001, lyrical maestro Chace Infinite and producer extraordinaire DJ Khalil—collectively known as Self Scientific—have continued to push the organic, neo-alternative sound to West Coast gangsta funk. With Khalil’s stock on the rise thanks to high-profile collaborations with the likes of Eminem and Snoop Dogg, the two reunite after a brief hiatus for the EP Trials Of The Blackhearted.

Whether verbally chastising sold-out souls over Khalil’s haunting backdrop on “Verses vs. Versus,” or questioning his own self-being on “God’s Language,” Chace sounds as crisp as ever. Spreading the wealth, the duo invite Mississippi’s Big K.R.I.T. on the bluesy “War Stories,” while Freddie Gibbs and Strong Arm Steady member Krondon speak on the Black man’s struggle on the hypnotic “Peaceful (Justice For Oscar).”

With only eight tracks, Self Scientific keep things brief and to the point, yet that’s where the EP’s main problem lies. After waiting nearly a half-decade for new music, fans may be bitter at the slim pickings of the short-but-sweet project. Still, Chace Infinite and DJ Khalil have carefully crafted an album that will feed the aurally hungry. —Meka Udoh