The Quixotic

iTunes Review

Though not yet a household name, Queens producer Ayatollah has been making exceptional beats for many, many years now, crafting soulful tracks for a laundry list of New York rappers, including Cormega, Ghostface, M.O.P., Mos Def, Tragedy, and Sean Price, among others. Eschewing chintzy synth sounds in favor of dusty vinyl samples, he is blessed with the ability to find the perfect mix of grimy and sensitive, mining choice loops that can make you bang your head relentlessly, yet also give you goosebumps. The Quixotic is the latest in his ongoing series of mostly instrumental projects, and features 27 tracks composed primarily of finely chopped old records, rugged drum work, and the occasional keyboard line. Two guest MCs appear; Sadat X on the Friends of Distinction flip "A Word From Derek" and Maximill on "I Can't Make It Alone," but it's mostly all about the beats here. Check out "Hello," "Fallin' Love," "How Can We Lose" and the birdcall-rocking closer "Hope of Deliverance."