Looking back more than four years later at Haram, it is easier to see the forest for the trees. At the time, much of the attention fell on how this outsider duo would fare under the bright lights- which was fair, Armand Hammer had never done a single producer record before- and here they were working with a living legend. Now, with a little distance, its easier to see how Alchemist stepped out of his comfort zone to meet them where they were, and how all three artists then absconded for parts unknown. The flashbulb energy of Bring The Stars Out, asymmetric drone of Chicharrones, fugue-bounce of Gods Feet, and good luck finding analogues for Peppertree or Stonefruit. Haram doesnt sound like anything else in the ALC discography, nor in Armand Hammers, for that matter. Haram was a one-shot kill that somehow contained some of the most accessible work ELUCID and billy woods had ever done, as well as some of their most experimental, and it all sounded cohesive.

Needless to say, they didnt do this alone; KAYANAs golden voice upps the wattage on Black Sunlight, while Fieldeds sultry alto gets chopped and screwed on Aubergine. Earl Sweatshirts cameo on the sun-soaked Falling Out the Sky is already a classic. Curly Castro, Amani, and Quelle Chris all turn up the heat when called upon.

But since we are talking about retrospect here, the thing about Haram isnt that it still sounds as good as it did when it came out. The amazing thing is that it actually sounds even better than it did then. You dont have to take our word for it either, run it up one time, with the lights low and something on ice, see if it doesnt take you somewhere new, again.

A1. Sir Benni Miles
A2. Roaches Don’t Fly
A3. Black Sunlight
A4. Indian Summer
A5. Aubergine
A6. God’s Feet
A7. Peppertree
B1. Scaffolds
B2. Falling Out The Sky
B3. Wishing Bad
B4. Chicharrones
B5. Squeegee
B6. Robert Moses
B7. Stonefruit