Yasiin Bey has some futuristic plans for the release of his forthcoming joint album with The Alchemist.
In a new conversation with The Guardian published on Friday (February 21), the artist formerly known as Mos Def described the roll out as “lo-fi, hi-tech high art” when discussing the effort, titled Forensics.
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“For Forensics, Bey has devised a new scheme to evade the streaming paradigm,” the publication summarized. “Merch on sale at shows and via Bandcamp – including lanyards and branded baseball caps – will contain digital ‘Bump tags’ which, when tapped against a user’s smartphone, enable access to online Forensics content, including the group’s forthcoming studio release.”
They also gave some insight into the project, adding, “Over beats steeped in psychedelia and spiritual soul, Bey skips between the personal and political with profundity, as has long been his gift. This is Bey’s deepest, most focused work in years.”
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Yasiin Bey and The Alchemist first revealed the project in December when they announced a live event in Paris for the following month to “Premier[e] new materials from their debut recording to be released in 2025.”
This came as Bey’s second new music announcement that month, as days earlier, he announced his first solo project in five years. Titled Money Christmas, the effort includes production from the legendary Large Professor.
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Money Christmas is accompanied by artwork designed by Spanish-Moroccan artist Anuar Khalifi. Titled “Osanta Bin Lyin,” the painting adds to the Black Star MC’s bold political statements by depicting the late 9/11 mastermind Osama bin Laden in a Santa Claus costume.
Much like previous projects, the effort was not released through traditional channels such as streaming services.
On December 15, Bey premiered the project for fans during a livestream and revealed it will soon be available on Bandcamp for $9.99. Video playback from the stream will be available for those who paid to watch the initial stream, and will also be available for purchase.
The material will also be released on vinyl in the coming months.
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According to a press release, the project is “the first of a number of upcoming releases intended to inextricably link the acquisition of music to the artwork and supporting video footage, creating a stronger and more creative bond with fans.”
