Clockwork is a three man operation consisting of Lace Cadence, Rockwell, and Take One. In 2006 they teamed up to drop After Midnight. Most of the beats on the CD are by Sekken Thaughtz and Catch PHRASE. Clockwork are assisted in the scratch department by none other than DJ Scene on a couple of tracks.

“Ride” by Catch PHRASE unfurls to a hiccuping beat, and kicks the album into a party mode. It’s got a seriously fun g-funk vibe, and the delicate synth melodies transported me to a bygone decade. Local Seattle production legend Bean One offers two beats on After Midnight, a slightly plodding “If Ya Wanna,” and an even slower and more intimidating “On The Move,” the latter featuring beloved Seattle rapper Byrdie, who passed away in 2013.

“Dubs To Blow” is an enjoyable, lazy romp through the topic of toking. “It’s like apples and oranges comparing Vegas to Swishers,” goes one line. Garcia Y Vega and Swisher Sweet were, of course, two of the most popular cigars with which to roll blunts. I liked the flamboyant energy and experimental production of “Drop That,” but the song never really finds itself. “Fallin Hard” stands out for its three-dimensional mood and its soft, rainy atmosphere which evokes a couple of Cancer Rising’s more mellow cuts. Because it truly captures the unique, resilient vibe of Seattle, “Fallin Hard” is easily my favorite track on After Midnight.

In my opinion, producer Catch PHRASE has a bold Lil-Jon-esque pop sensibility in which the beats may sound annoyingly simplistic, but they stay in your ear. Lil Jon is a certified hitmaker, after all, love him or hate him. Sekken Thaughtz’s beats go into the territory of jazzy/obscure samples and chops, which show respect for a more traditional New York sound. The MCs are all solid on After Midnight, showing good breath control and rhyme writing. The group dropped their second album Future Pastime in 2009. Written by Novocaine132