The Don of Diamond Dreams
by Shabazz Palaces
  • Record Label: Sub Pop
  • Release Date: Apr 17, 2020
Metascore
77

Generally favorable reviews - based on 14 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 11 out of 14
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 14
  3. Negative: 0 out of 14
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  1. RapReviews.com
    May 6, 2020
    85
    It is the right combination of introspective and funky. It makes these long, endless days and weeks much more manageable. If you need something both banging and relaxing, Shabazz Palaces got you covered.
  2. Mojo
    May 21, 2020
    80
    Twisting the familiar sounds into altogether more challenging forms. [Jul 2020, p.84]
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  3. Uncut
    Apr 21, 2020
    80
    The Don of Diamond Dreams finds Butler's effect-treated voice rippling through a prism of mutated funk and R&B that feels simultaneously sumptuous and deeply unconventional. [Jun 2020, p.37]
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  5. Q Magazine
    Apr 16, 2020
    80
    An atmosphere of heightened weirdness prevails. [Jun 2020, p.95]
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  6. Clash Music
    Apr 16, 2020
    80
    ‘The Don Of Diamond Dreams’ is a glorious album that yields more and more with each listen. And listen you need to, because if you don’t you might miss something.
  7. The Line of Best Fit
    Apr 16, 2020
    80
    The Don of Diamond Dreams has plenty of mass appeal regardless of its unconventional style, but still Butler entices us just enough by adding bits of flair to its top tracks.
  8. The Quietus
    Apr 16, 2020
    80
    The Don Of Diamond Dreams feels imbued with a sense that alternative realities – different ways of telling stories, different mythologies to reflect our true nature – are always within our reach, if only we’re able to fully embrace our own imaginations.
  9. Pitchfork
    Apr 20, 2020
    76
    For years now, Shabazz Palaces have oozed a kind of creative wisdom, the type that can only come with age and years of lived experience, but The Don of Diamond Dreams demonstrates a sign of even deeper wisdom: living an entire life of your own, and realizing that there’s still value in learning and listening from the youth.
  10. The Wire
    Apr 28, 2020
    70
    For those who appreciated the rigour of old, the new album might offer a challenge due to its lyrical sentiments and a base literalism that might be ironic. [May 2020, p.60]
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  11. AllMusic
    Apr 17, 2020
    70
    Compared to SP's conceptual third and fourth LPs, which arrived together in 2017, The Don of Diamond Dreams is unified by its funkier and humanized sonics more than its lyrics.
  12. Paste Magazine
    Apr 16, 2020
    69
    Diamond Dreams is immersive and solidifies Shabazz Palaces’ stature as one of the few hip-hop projects to emerge in the 2010s and create a wholly distinctive genre unto itself. Its intergalactic textures don’t resemble earth, but that’s a welcome escape at a historic moment when earth doesn’t feel particularly inhabitable for humans.
  13. Beats Per Minute
    Apr 27, 2020
    60
    What hurts The Don Of Diamond Dreams is how they get ahead of themselves with minimal regard to where they’re going.
  14. The Guardian
    Apr 16, 2020
    60
    Despite the stumbles, it’s this willingness to switch things up and the ambition of scale in The Don of Diamond Dreams that prove Shabazz Palaces to be such a fascinating and exciting project in the age of algorithms and formulae.
  15. musicOMH.com
    Apr 21, 2020
    50
    A more radical shift in that direction might prove fruitful, but sadly The Don Of Diamond Dreams feels like aimless indulgence from a group that are capable of much better.

User Reviews

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User Score
8.0

Generally favorable reviews- based on 21 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 16 out of 21
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 21
  3. Negative: 1 out of 21
  1. euanfraser
    Apr 18, 2020
    5
    This record falls short on too many levels especially when comparing it to Palaces previous records (this is no 'Black Up' or 'Lese Majesty').This record falls short on too many levels especially when comparing it to Palaces previous records (this is no 'Black Up' or 'Lese Majesty'). The production on many of the tracks sounds rushed and boring. In most cases, the album adds nothing new and exciting to the evolution of Shabazz Palaces. However, there are a few stray tracks that I would still add to a 'Best of' list.
    'Ad Ventures' is the best of the batch due to its clear lyrical storytelling fixed with amazing, emotional production. Overall, it is great for a deep listen.
    The first single off of 'TDODD'; 'Fast Learner' is a great track for a cool ass slow drive. The reverbed kick and soft trumpet melody set the mood for Butler to float around the scene. My only problem with it is the feature with 'Purple Tape Nate'. At some points, his rapping style gets a bit too hyped for slow vibes.
    The other pretty good track, also a single, is 'Chocolate Souffle'. The instrumental evolves nicely over the duration of the track. However, at some point, Butler's lyrics grow stale.
    With these great tracks scattered throughout the album, there are also some terrible tracks that stand out more than the better tracks.
    'Wet' is a laughable song that tries to approach Palaces favourite topic; fake people. The amount of great tracks these guys have made surrounding this topic, it is crazy to see them fall miserably short. Its as if they let a group of kindergarten kids to produce the track for fun and decided to include it in their record.
    'Money Yoga' is not as laughable as 'Wet'. There are some really great aesthetics, however, as a song, its lyrics are lackluster to the point where its hard to get through the song. In ways, it sounds like an early version of 'Fast Learner'. With the addition of auto tuned howling, its potential is plundered.
    With three tracks that stand out over the 40 minute, 10 track project, it is a bummer that this is what Palaces was conjuring over the last three years. It seems that Shabazz Palaces is beginning to grow stale. It seems that another great record from these guys is not possible unless they completely move on and begin journeying in a new direction .    … Full Review »
  2. Lajaleaa
    Jun 14, 2020
    7
    ( 76/100 )

    Shabazz Palaces es el Art-Rap duo conformado por Ishmael Butler y Tendai "Baba" Maraire de Seattle. Debutaron en el 2009 con un    ( 76/100 )

    Shabazz Palaces es el Art-Rap duo conformado por Ishmael Butler y Tendai "Baba" Maraire de Seattle. Debutaron en el 2009 con un par de Eps de que captaron una atención inmediata por su estilo Experimental y Ambient que fusionaban con el Rap y Hip-Hop para crear una experiencia espacial y mística. En este álbum, Shabazz Palaces entrega una colección de canciones espesas y algo aceitosas. Son algo pesadas de escuchar, especialmente por su falta de melodía y coro y, en parte, pueden sonar redundantes con la cantidad de loops que usan. Sin embargo hay una serie de detalles y arreglos que logran equilibrar la esencia de varias canciones haciendo de este álbum un viaje interesante, pero no entretenido, que se disfrutará más en segundo plano, durante un viaje espiritual.
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    Shabazz Palaces are the Art-Rap duo conformed by Ishmael Butler and Tendai "Baba" Maraire from Seattle. They debuted in 2009 with a couple of Eps that captured immediate attention for their Experimental and Ambient style merged with Rap and Hip-Hop to create a spatial and mistic experience. In this album, Shabazz Palaces delivers a collection of dense and oily songs. They are kind of heavy to hear, especially because of their lack of melody and chorus. In part, they can sound redundant with the extend of loops used. Nevertheless, there is a series of details and arrangements that manage to balance the essence of few songs, making this album an interesting journey, but not an entertaining one, that can be enjoyed better in the background, during a spiritual trip.    … Full Review »
  3. Whiskeycloned
    Jun 5, 2020
    8
    This has a downright monster first half, a good but unremarkable second. But it's an example of an album where I actually think front-loadingThis has a downright monster first half, a good but unremarkable second. But it's an example of an album where I actually think front-loading worked well. Shabazz's post-Black Up output's biggest weakness has been that they've watered down their best moments with a lack of quality control - Lese Majesty had way too many tracks for its "Forerunner Foray" and "#cake"s to really buoy, and then after that they dropped two albums on the same day. Hearing four increasingly hot bangers in a row on a Shabazz album ("Ad Ventures" through "Chocolate Souffle") was almost a revelation in 2020 and made me more patient with the weaker moments of the second half. At its best, it stretches hip-hop like bubble gum in various ways to brilliant, psychedelic effect.… Full Review »
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