In a recent Soundslam interview, it’s revealed that Mos Def called Maspyke “one of the most important groups.”

On the basis of this ringing endorsement, I previewed each track of Maspyke’s latest release, Static, on iTunes to get a feel for them and see just how important they may be. Or at least see if it’s something I’d buy…

While I didn’t get “important” from the album (this could be due the fact that I just previewed the tracks), some of the adjectives that did come to mind: jazzy, raw, smoked out, smart, challenging, complex. My thoughts changed with each track, and that’s a good thing. There is music in these beats.

This isn’t the normal drivel coming out of hip-hop lately, that’s for sure. No poppin’ glocks or pimpin’ hos, thankfully. It’s groovy and gritty. Soft and hard. Goldilocks would like this… It’s just right.

I can see why Mos likes them, and I’ll have to take his much more educated opinion on their importance to the game. Of course, these days, “important” means “never played” and “small market,” but with any luck in this case it might turn out to mean “long-lasting” and “prolific.” These guys definitely have potential, and I want to hear more to see if they can live up to Mos’ projection.

The answer to whether they are important: we’ll see. The answer to whether I would buy this album: Mos Definitely!