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Popmatters Best R&B/Soul Albums of 2020

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The Cycle is the latest from Mourning [A] BLKstar, an Ohio-based collective boasting three lead singers, horns, and insistent, portending grooves, There’s no way not to recognize this band’s roots in Afrofuturism; it’s also impossible to hear them as anything other than starkly original. And for anyone who’s kept up with them since their debut, the mood has gotten noticeably darker, something The Cycle makes clear.

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Mourning [A] BLKstar in Wire Magazine

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Mourning [A] BLKstar in Wire Magazine

“Before we rush back to the usual cycle of auteurist, individualist music made by lauded and pampered artist, we’d do well to listen deep to the communal act of love that is The Cycle.”

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AFROPUNK: "The Cycle" Album Review

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AFROPUNK: "The Cycle" Album Review

Afropunk praises “The Cycle” saying, “The Cycle adds up to an album that demands multiple deep listens, rewarding the listener with new details and nuances. It’s one of those rare albums that you’ll find yourself thinking about long after it’s over. “

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PASTE MAGAZINE: "Mist :: Missed" Review

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PASTE MAGAZINE: "Mist :: Missed" Review

“Mist Missed” is a soulful ode to remaining yourself and staying motivated. The repetitive beat is intriguing, and it resembles the escapism that arises while focusing on a single task. The Cycle was made in a small storefront on Lorain Avenue in Cleveland, Ohio, where they practiced for three years. The isolation and focus that created the album is present in “Mist Missed.”

All photographs featured on this site were taken courtesy of Emmanuel Wallace and Bobby Murphy

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