Truth be told, the Cunninlynguists are probably one of the big reasons die-hard fans of crate digging and sample-based beatmaking have stayed sane during the last decade. As RJD2 began shifting his attention to Indie Rock guitar noodling and after DJ Shadow dabbled in Hyphy and disappeared, the Kentucky-based trio have upped the aesthetic ante with each release while continuing to find inspiration inside the verse-chorus-verse box. Largely thanks to producer and sometime-emcee Kno, the group has achieved a synchronicity with a backdrop of beats that are like that guy at the party who pulls people into his orbit with the right mix of raw charisma only to turn introspective bordering on sinister a few drinks later. While occupying a different musical space, Kno’s work has risen to the level of producers like Alchemist, Hi-Tek and DJ Muggs where it can hold its own in the form of an album featured atop a bed of rhymes rather than vice-versa..
Death is Silent marks Kno’s first solo effort of this sort and while it lyrically falters at times it also manages to set a new standard for what can still be called a “classic” approach to Hip Hop production.
Although tones change and styles morph, Southern Hip Hop’s evolution as a whole exhibits a fluidity that is in many ways similar to the trajectory music out of the UK has taken during the last 30 years. This makes the production on Death is Silent that much more poignant as Kno chose to go across the Atlantic rather than across the Mississppi when it came to mining sounds for one of the year’s strongest collection of beats. There’s that spaciness and beautifully frigid quality to certain kinds of music that only the Brits seem to nail. The advantage to sample based Hip Hop is that an American producer like Kno can pull from influences that are closer to The Village Green Preservation Society and Substance than Joe Tex or ESG. Kno is probably the first producer to ever make beats sound Mod. From the Psychedelic “Graveyard” and “Silent” to “Rhythm of The Rain” 
and “Spread Your Wings” which would sound at home being spun at Manchester’s Haçienda club, Kno manages to creating a sound-scape that simultaneously sounds foreign and organic.
But where Hip Hop production affords an artist the freedom tomake this move, the resulting album can be a double edge sword. One of the things an album like Death is Silent makes music fans consider is how producers may be unnecessarily wed to the idea of crafting a solo album that still ultimately serves as a windup so a group of emcees can do their thing. Many of Kno’s compositions on this album are straight-up cinematic, more welcoming to the image of Robert DeNiro placing his gun on a kitchen counter overlooking the beach in Heat than an actual emcee rhyming about guns, the beach or the heat. One such track is “They Told Me” which does Moby better than Moby does Moby.
To be fair, the musicianship shown on Death Is Silent rises to such a level that even the most dexterous emcees would be upstaged by the height of the album’s arrangements. That said, Kno’s prowess as a rhymer doesn’t help make the record’s lyrical landing any less rocky. For those that weren’t left satisfied by the recent amount of comedy Eminem-mined on subjects that even the slowest morning Zoo radio show abandoned in ’99, the rogue’s gallery of dated references on Death Is Silent will definitely do the trick. Why lose sleep wondering when your rhymes will date themselves when you can just namedrop Ty Palin, Rod Blagoyevich or Joran Vandersloot? There are also consistency issues to the rhymes on Death is Silent that are much more detrimental than a little humor past its expiration date. Listening to Kno call himself the “talcum Malcolm” and discuss rowing a woman’s little man in a boat, it’s often hard to believe that the voice and the track’s producer are one and the same.
RZA, at his height, was able to craft beats that flawlessly complemented the personalities on his tracks. This is why “Shimmy Shimmy Ya” received one beat and “Shadowboxin’” another. The unfortunate part is that the other members of the Cunninlynguists seem more attuned to the thematic nuances of Kno’s production than Kno himself. This is highlighted even more so on Death is Silent, where Kno’s lyrical half can’t seem come to grips with the depth he’s created in the lab. With rhymes and haunting production locked airtight time and time again on older Cunninlynguist’s tracks like “What’ll You Do,” the chasm on Kno’s solo album is all the more glaring. Eerie instrumentation with plaintive female vocals woven seamlessly throughout receive the brunt of Kno’s lyrical strike outs on Death is Silent, thus turning tracks like “La Petite Mort” into something akin to a Bloodhound Gang / Portishead collaboration. The reason both those groups – and to an even greater extent The Cunninlynguists – have been successful is that they understand what type of paint looks best on what canvas.
It’s usually not a good sign if while listening to a Hip Hop beat the first time around you’re already trying to deconstruct how it was made. The producer should’ve created something visceral enough where the last thing on the listener’s mind should be trying to figure out how something was time-stretched or chopped. Making the listener forget that thing called sampling even exists is where Kno consistently proves himself first rate. The respect he has for beat-making by his sample arsenal in the shadows, is a rarity in especially in today’s Internet age. For a producer that knows exactly what things moves an audience and how it’s best to keep those secrets hidden, his decision to handle so many of his own rhymes is all the more puzzling. However, there are always those days when a pitcher steps up to bat and hits a home run. So let producers rhyme and let emcees try their hand at the MPC. Leave the talk of designated hitters to the major leagues.
Good artist, amazing production
great album, one of the best of the year
Amazing record, want to buy the CD collectors edition, but the damn QN5 store doesn’t have a buy link.
This album is pure excellence.
next to black milk’s AOTY, best produced album this year
this shit is simply amazing.
this album is absolutely amazing
Best thing I heard this year!
Dopest record of the year.
Album of the year.
Damn Damn Damn…Cot Damn!! I have supported Kno and Deacon since ’01 and I gotta say the game needs more of this.
This album is amazing, album of the year definitely.
TOP 3 LP of the year by far….the production is absolutely amazing from start to finish and the “lysts” have always been monsters on the mic.So get your favorite headphones,turn of the lights and press play….
Breaks my heart to say that but dx is finally on point with a review. Its a shame KNO wasted these beautiful instumentals to his weak rhymes. He is frequently overshadowed by his guests on his own record. He also repeats the same tricks over and over again (vocal samples, beat stopping for verse starts, different sample in the end). Sigh. Still bought it though, for the quality of the instrumentals alone and some cool guest verses.
I wish I had produced this
anyway awesome !
Yeah if you gave me these beats, I might actually try.
Kno is a good MC, but the reviewer has a point. Would have sounded much nicer with Deacon and Natti only, and of course that Tonedeff feature.
Hip hop is dead?
Wait, what?
Great year for music with this one taking the prize for album of the year.
FLX must make beats — who gives a fuck abotu “tricks” besides salty ass failed producers? LOL
AOTY
Amazing. KNO NEVER disappoints. Instant classic.
Album of the year so far.
my god this album is amazing. the music is just out of this world.
shame it’s not black or boom bap enough for dx to rate it right
Not “black enough”?
Hip Hop music is supposed to sound black dummy
McNulty is right , its the product of Black American culture. dummy
the boy is right. the album is too poetic and musical for hip hop.
I don’t mean to start no argument. For the record, what little I have heard from this album is dope. Hip Hop’s got a big tent. Time to get drunk
I always took you for a Bruce Springstein kind of guy, McNulty.
This album is dope.
Pretty dope for the audience its trying to appeal to, one of the better pieces sonically. I want to like Kno more, but dont understand why he affiliates with such terrible artists as Pack FM.
I LOVE Cunnin Lynguists…Production is AMAZING by Kno and although Deacon the villan is def the doper emcee I don’t think kno is as bad as they make him out to be on here. Again not an elzhi, crooked i, em, nas, big l, big pun, common, monch, g rap, diabolic, rhyme asylum, lowkey, one be lo, louis logic, MF Doom, Jada, Blackstarr, Black Thought, tonedeff, juice, etc with the DOPE rhymes, but who is? He’s def better than throw away emcees aka 85% of the radio if not higher.
Going to peep this, but i just listened to Rhythm of the rain and almost busted a NUT…is it all this dope/melodic!?!?
great album
best in da year
This is album is just beautiful, loving it more and more each time I listen to it. It should have got a 4.5/5 really. Kno has made a masterpiece, could easily be the best hip hop album of the year.
I don’t get the hate for Kno’s rhymes, dude’s definitely sharp with the pen.. His delivery/flow is easily the biggest flaw of the album..
With that said though, Kno >>> your favorite producer.. Got damn, this is a masterpiece! And that Tonedeff verse!! Insane!
4.5/5
nice….straight nice….. very melancholic, tight production, and original sound…
hmmmm… i mostly disagree with the criticisms surrounding the rhymes. kno isn’t awesome or anything but there’s a surprising number of featured verses that contribute nicely. also the balance he acheived between cohesiveness and sonic variety is fantastic. 4.5
Awesome absolutely awesome the guys an effing genious!!!!
Unreal production
Mad nice. Kno best producer of all time, and a great lyricist.
Great
great!:)
Don’t know if yall read it but, this is one intricate review. Props on listening to the album and not just cheap-shottin’ it. The project’s awesome.
GREAT album from the EMO PRIMO…Production is fabulous. I wish it had tonedeff/deacon the villan on it a few more times, but classic vibe/feel/beats/very solid rhymes, but not lyrically CLASSIC throughout….
On my top 8 albums of 2010 along w/ Diabolic’s Liar and a Thief, Celph Titled and Buckwild’s 1990 Now, Roots, Reflection Eternal, Roc Marciano’s, AOTP, Vinnie Paz…Solid yr so far for the underground
My favorite album of the year, nuff said.
great review
Best album of 2010.
best album of tha year
sick album, love kno’s production. Would have liked to heard more from tonedef though.
When is a Chico & the man project going to drop?
Am I hearing something else than you? GROUNDBREAKING production? Haha, get the fuck outta here, this shit sucks…
jump off a cliff….
it is dope record. espacially for winter days in poland heheheh
Best album of year
Dope Album
Absolutely incredible. Kno delivers the best sampling of any 21st century hip hop artist.
Best album of the year so far
Man, I just love Kno’s beats, makes Kanye look like a little kid playing with his keyboard.
this guy deserves to be known. i hope he gets paid well. each time he puts something new out he delivers. production is immaculate. although he is isnt a natraully gifted rapper, he does have some great ideas – listen to ‘la petit mort’. bring on chico and the man, and whatever else he will do next with cunninlynguists. one of the best records ive heard in s long time. much love
I am a strong advocate of new hip-hop and a changing genre, but man… Kno and the Cunninlynguists always just blow me away. This album was excellent, 5 stars.
Man, They Told me, I can’t stop listening to this song
True, in my opinion of of the best songs on the whole album
after a long time and many hearing i have to change my valuation from 4 to 5 stars ….
This LP is deffinetly TOP 3 of 2010 for me.
Only Eligh with his Grey Crow LP deliver a better sound … but death is silent 5/5 absolutelly epic
An eargasmic pleasure of a journey that leaves you haunted and enlightened. Truly mesmerising piece of phonic art!!!
This shit is just OK to me… Weirdo Rap
LOL, like mainstream rappers wearing skinny jeans and kissing their guy managers on the mouth while wearing Mohawks isnt, sit down bitch
superb
just dope
Can’t wait to hear this.
pretty dope
this album is great…definitely let Kno open up what he was trying to push for on most cunnin… albums.
Love it.
Lyrical insanity, what hip hop should sound like!
The bets LLP in 2010.
Th best LP in 2010.
The best LP in 2010.
the best lp in 212012
yeahhhhh
One of my favorite albums of all time
great
Dj behind this album is a genius! Best instrumental – vocal mash ever!!!
Beats on this album were mindblowing
Couldnt have been better