Lonely City

Would there have been a Nujabes without the Specifics? Definitely, but that doesn’t take anything away from one of the finest examples of lo-fi hip-hop during its original golden age! The Montreal group released their debut album, Lonely City, in 2004, over a decade before YouTube streams with millions of viewers brought lo-fi hip-hop to the public consciousness. Despite its age, the album still sounds fresh; jazzy samples, mellow beats, and downtempo rhymes combine to create a sound both relaxing and intriguing, perfect whether you want to put it on as you study, or sit down and really listen to it.

In the two decades since its initial release, the Specifics have gained high praise in the lo-fi hiphop scene, with appearances on albums such as the Nujabes compiled Modal Soul Classics by and the posthumous tribute Modal Soul Classics II- Dedicated to…Nujabes. But at the end of the day, it all comes back to Lonely City. With unmistakable analogue warmth, and the iconic original artwork once again adorning the cover, this album has never looked or sounded this good! Don’t miss Lonely City, available with a Japanese obi-strip for the first time ever, from P-VINE Records.