Straight out of Dublin comes the accomplished beat-maestro The Expert. Inspired by golden-era giants like The Rza, Pete Rock, and Large Professor — as well as new school titans Oddisee, Exile, and Eric Lau — The Expert got his start in the Irish Choice Prize-nominated duo Messiah J & The Expert. In 2015, The Expert broke out on his own with the renowned album Dynamic Drift and collaborations with the likes of Tanya Morgan, Zilla Rocca and Has-Lo.
Now The Expert arrives at Cold Busted with Excursions, a 20-track exploration of smooth instrumental hip-hop for the mind and soul. The album is a laid-back journey filled with intricate nuances and sublime rhythm constructions. There are moments of pensive beauty (“If”) and soulful jazziness (“Vacuum”) as well as evocative Latin-tinged moments (“Firmino”) and splashes of spacey moodiness (“Believe In This”). All in all, Excursions is a melodic trip from beginning to end, suitable for unexpected destinations and extended travels.
| A1 | If | 2:10 |
| A2 | Oh Yes | 1:54 |
| A3 | Believe In This | 2:09 |
| A4 | Ravensdale | 2:06 |
| A5 | Badger Parade | 0:53 |
| A6 | Troubled Soul | 2:04 |
| A7 | Violet Sun | 2:02 |
| A8 | The Drummer | 1:10 |
| A9 | Vacuum | 2:13 |
| A10 | Suede Shoulders | 1:16 |
| B1 | Firmino | 1:44 |
| B2 | Profiteroles | 1:46 |
| B3 | Love Her | 1:18 |
| B4 | Excursions | 2:48 |
| B5 | Z Is For Xylophone | 2:15 |
| B6 | Strictly Floating | 1:54 |
| B7 | Aerial Views | 2:41 |
| B8 | Triple Beans | 1:26 |
| B9 | Shorter Days | 1:23 |
| B10 | Final Steps | 2:19 |
