Mourning [A] BLKstar will release its fifth album, The Cycle, on May 15. The double LP is the Cleveland-based collective’s masterwork: 20 songs and three singers, touching on neo-soul, hip-hop and the universal energy between. Per a press release, “M[A]B is a multi-generational, gender and genre non-conforming amalgam of Black Culture dedicated to servicing the stories and songs of the apocalyptic diaspora.”
“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.” “F*ckin on the wrong folk, ignorin’ all ya kinfolk / I know it’s hard to stay motivated…Can’t concern myself with your lifestyle / If I do it’s gonna take quite a while for the clouds to lift,” they sing.
“It is a song for us to consider how we navigate our lives, how we tend to forget what is important,” says M[A]B’s Ra Washington. “The chorus is sassy in all the best ways. When we drop to just keys and drums and vamp the outro it sent chills down my spine. ‘The Cycle’ has two drummers and the interplay of them is an essential part of the record overall, but I love it when I can arrange shine for all the musicians, and this is one for the drummers.”
Like many artists, M[A]B has had to cancel shows due to COVID-19 concerns, so stay tuned for updates.
Watch the video for “Mist Missed” below, and preorder The Cycle here.