Shout out to local group New Track City whose latest release is currently charting in the top 12 of the NACC college airplay charts, alongside Kendrick and Jay-Z. When you hear Lose Sight of The Shore it’s no surprise to hear they’ve been traveling across the nation playing venues in LA, Chicago, and Fargo, North Dakota in support of this sensational record. Opener “Right Now” builds on a bed of vocals from the ever amazing Falon Sierra, before dropping verses from dueling rappers Bem and Chi.Stone. Each emcee has honed a uniquely solid style, and their constant counterpoint is what makes this album so special. Past releases have relied heavily on samples: With this one, they challenged themselves to maintain their signature sound with original performances, and I’d say they were more than successful: The exercise elevates their sonic landscape, with production that is gorgeous, rich, viscous, sticky stock, rolling bass, and bright horns. Spin a track like “Close” or “More and more” or “Judgement” and you’ll see what I mean. Rarely am I sitting on my couch at home waving my hands in the air, but that’s the sort of participatory devotion this record commands. It’s on all the streaming services. This is easily one of my favorite releases of the year, and I suspect when you check it out it will be one of your favorites, too.