Born in Chicago, raised in Lagos, and based in Los Angeles,
Christian Rich are a production duo featuring twin brothers Kehinde and Taiwo Hassan. They debuted back in 2003 with a cut on
Lil' Kim's
La Bella Mafia album but they really hit their stride around 2013, working with more alternative artists like
Earl Sweatshirt and
Childish Gambino. No surprise then that this debut studio album bounces between the underground and the aboveground with ease, but
FW14 goes even further than expected, tying itself together conceptually by offering a
Philip K. Dick-styled sci-fi story while reaching out to other genres, including a wonderful relationship with '80s-influenced R&B. Veteran funkster
Steve Arrington even appears on the closing "What More," while "Bells" with
Niia might just be a
DeBarge or
5 Star cut slowed down to a blissful half-speed. Production fans will enjoy the immaculate craftsmanship and the
Neptunes-like straddling of the edge and the mainstream, but fans of
Kavinsky,
Run the Jewels, and early
Prince albums will also be drawn in by the familiar tones and forward-thinking attitude. ~ David Jeffries