Blaze Puffington and JCoReyTruStory have formed quite the synergistic partnership with their work on the collaborative project “Darkside of Paradise”. Their styles compliment one another well, making room for a collection of songs that explore the deep ideological rift between mere contemplation of change and enlightenment and the gritty work that actually activates ideological revolution within a society or individual. That’s what the concept of the “Darkside of Paradise” means when I listen to the album. I’m sure however, that anyone who listens to this album would see a vision of that idea that is unique to them and their way of thinking. It’s just that kind of project.
When I listen to “Undecided”, for example, I hear a song exploring what it’s like to be an artist who isn’t always sure about what direction to take their craft in. Lots of artists go through it, myself included. As a writer who often wonders whether my creative efforts amount to, “walking to my own beat or humming the wrong song”, I got a chance to resonate with the musicians through my own personal lens. It was a pretty cathartic experience. Thanks guys.
At a minute, twenty-one seconds, “Floating” provides a kind of fulcrum for the album, in a dreamlike musical space “between paradise’s dark side and the future”. “Legend’s Reward” gives Blaze Puffington a chance to reach into poetic roots reminiscent of his own earlier project “Peotreeid”. “BlackRose” is an emotional record that deals with loss and appreciation. “Hard To Win” juxtaposes snappy instrumentals with smooth casual rap flow to create a kind of activated peacefulness that I haven’t heard executed so well since Kendrick Lamar’s last album.
Blaze Puffington makes no secret of the fact that he “loves getting high” “the but this isn’t merely weed rap. Each track on the “Darkside of Paradise is part of an experience that may be strongly influenced by utopic notions of irie bliss, but the world that Blaze Puffington and JCoReyTruStory inhabit on this album is very tangible to them. They appear to see themselves as pioneers of a transformative movement, voluntarily enduring the brunt of the destructive status quo in order to “romance [their] dreams, seduce success, and rebuild reality”. It’s a noble enough cause in my book. And I for one hope they succeed. That being said, I think anyone would benefit from downloading this album and giving it an honest listen. I Like it.
– iLikeZach
