Chicago-based rapper Jelani Lateef caught my ear last year with his Cold Days and Dark Nights mixtape, a release chock full of quality material, from the choir and string-filled anthem “Book of Life” to the psych-rock-influenced “Action”. Now, Jelani is back with a follow-up to that release, with the same name. “Action” returns on the release, in addition to new tracks like “No Fear”, a funk-tinged success with a suave guitar accompaniment and handclap-laden percussion. “Dreams” is another good new one, riding on a dreamy synth arpeggio, high-pitched vocal samples, and ominous bass-synth. The occasional vocal sample-led hook is infectiously cohesive, providing a breather to Jelani’s intense delivery.
Stream the rest of his new mixtape below:
