No one takes the scenic route any more. It’s the joke a lost father says to his anxious children, “We’re TAKING the scenic route.” Everything moves fast, direct, overnight and sometimes it takes artists like Elaquent to slow things down. “Black Magic” employs cool, breezy keys, sharp snares and takes its time to build—it’s as if his R&B means ‘relax’ and ‘breathe’. It’s chilled out. It’s “eeeeeyyyyyyy”. It’s The Fonz hitting a jukebox cool. Kae, singer from Italy, kills it too. In fact, The Scenic Route‘s 14 tracks seems to be mostly comprised of ‘relax’ and ‘breathe’ beats. Elaquent says, “Often times the things we look for in life are foolish to try to chase. Chase it anyways. Who cares. Why not. Have fun. Relax. Enjoy the music. Take The Scenic Route.” Fuck a GPS. Buy a map, buy this LP and just enjoy the ride.