Being And Knowing

Having a concept in mind before starting the writing process for an album can promote focus. But local rap cats Memory and LiquidForm—known together as Isodynamics—have chosen a narrative that splits into three very distinct (though not entirely unrelated) trains of thought for their third release, Being And Knowing. So it’s no surprise the writing part of this project took Isodynamics more than two years to lock down.

In the beginning, the album sets a slow, somewhat dark tone in both beat and vocal pitch, as the duo explores elements, activities, and the emotions around a home—the first of three six-song segments the album is broken into. Tracks like “The Garden,” “The Basement,” and “The Garage” explain different memories these places held for the MCs growing up, some good, some bad. “The Kitchen,” for example, is a tale about how fulfilling and necessary breakfast can be to a child and the bond between the child and the one who cooks for the child.

Throughout the album, the rappers/producers bounce ideas off one another, usually either describing the physical aspects or feelings the given topic produces or a tale about how it’s shaped their current selves.

Moving onto the next segment, the body, the Iso kids tackle all that hands can do, the eyes can see, the ears can hear, and more. “The Eyes” is an almost surprisingly upbeat (relatively speaking) track about attraction, while “The Ears” describes two morbid tales—one of domestic violence, the other of suicide. On the strong, soul-filled “The Heart,” the two men unfold personal tales of heartbreak as soft strings loop, a loose bass line plays, and DJ Pain 1 scratches around the verses.

As the mind segment of the album sets in, both beats and lyrics get decidedly heavier. The crushing feeling of anxiety can be found on a song by the same name, matched well with some semi-heavy guitar riffs and solos; “Jealousy” rears its ugly head on an up-tempo yet dark track; and “Guilt” trails on about the remorse and regret of not loving another to let them go. Ending on an up note, “Boredom” asks us to reflect on who we truly are instead of distracting ourselves from it over some simple guitar strums and an easy bass line.

Overall, the inflection and flow of both MCs is reminiscent of Boots Riley of The Coup, yet they still manage to create a distinctive, unique sound. In fact, the two rappers share such a close style of rhyming that, in some cases, it’s difficult to distinguish each one—meaning they always fit together seamlessly.

Though Being And Knowing is a somewhat overweight, 18-track album, the beats are clean and varied, and the rhymes are crisp and thought-provoking. Most impressive of all, the album achieves that rare dichotomy of being deep enough to be enjoyed on an individual level and diverse enough to keep the party going.

Being And Knowing is available now on Isodynamics' Bandcamp.

Check Isodynamics out August 17 at The Frequency.