It’s albums like Common’s fourth that have music nerds complaining about new trends and longing for the good old days. Created at Electric Lady Studios in 1998 and 1999 in some great company – hip-hop band The Roots, producers James Poyser and Jay Dee, singers D’Angelo and Bilal most notably – Like Water for Chocolate boasts an equally timesless and unrepeatable vibe. Aside from the consistent groove of the music itself, we have Common just where we want him: a little in love (’The Light‘ ft. Bilal), a little conscious (’Geto Heaven Part Two‘ ft. D’Angelo), slightly pissed off (’Payback is a Grandmother‘) and tight as ever on the mic (’Thelonius‘ ft. Slum Village).

‘The Light’ is arguably the late Jay Dee’s finest moment (and there were many). The track deserves a book rather than 50 words on a website, but suffice it to say that flipping ‘Open Your Eyes‘ by Bobby Coldwell twenty years on was an ingenious move. Com’s honest and emotional rhymes prevail here, just as they do on first single ‘The 6th Sense‘ produced by a DJ Premier in his prime. Without overdoing either, the rest of the album oscillates between honouring civil rights heroes (’A Song for Assata‘ ft. Cee-Lo) and Nigerian musician Fela Kuti (Time Travelin’). Jill Scott, Mos Def, Vinia Mojica and others add to an impeccable list of collaborators that grabs just enough attention.

Catching Common right between his golden beginnings (Resurrection, 1992) and eventual climax (Be, 2005), Like Water for Chocolate can perhaps best be remembered as a cornerstone in the incredible musical legacy of producer Jay Dee. Featured on all but four songs, his production leaves us breathless here, as it did on so many other releases. Interpreted by The Roots’ Questlove, James Poyser, or whatever other genius happened to be around on Lower Manhattan’s 8th street, the album is a telling introduction to the Detroit producer’s immense body of work. The sessions at Electric Lady Studios a decade ago cannot be repeated, but the end products will be enjoyed forever.

Words Sven Carlsson