INFINITY KNIVES & BRIAN ENNALS - A City Drowned in God's Black Tears - LP - Vinyl [APR 4]

LP - Black Vinyl.  

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"They thrive on the chaos of an unforgiving world." - Pitchfork

"The sound of Ice Cube blasting out of a boombox before the police show up"
- Loud and Quiet

"The poster boys for alternative and experimental hip-hop." - The Quietus

Acclaimed Baltimore experimental hip-hop duo Infinity Knives & Brian Ennals return with vital new album A City Drowned in God's Black Tears, an incendiary, irresistible rap record that marries unflinching discourse with bold and unpredictable production.

“The bitch that got Emmett Till killed just died, and I PRAY that it was painful as fuck.”

Infinity Knives and Brian Ennals embody this ethos of cutting through pretence with their raw, unfiltered creativity and incisive commentary. Known for their boundary-pushing DIY approach, the duo has achieved a cult-level following in experimental hip-hop, blending chaotic, genre-defying production with unapologetic social critique and dark humour.

Almost entirely fuelled by word of mouth, their 2022 album King Cobra earned Album of the Year from Loud and Quiet and landed among SPIN Magazine’s Top 5 Albums of the Year. The record, a fusion of ruthless lyrical indictments and omnivorous, experimental production, firmly established them as leaders in the underground hip-hop scene, proving that true innovation can thrive even in an industry rife with nepotism.

Their latest collaborative album, A City Drowned in God's Black Tears, was a gruelling labour of frustration and chaos. Originally conceived as an EP, the project unexpectedly expanded into a fully realised album as setbacks piled up. The loss of critical sound files forced them to painstakingly recreate what they’d already built, a process that drained both time and morale. Add mental health struggles and the deaths of close friends to the mix, and the project felt less like a creative process and more like a fight to survive. The entire experience was marked by stress, exhaustion, and a palpable sense of frustration that hung over every session.

A pivotal figure in shaping A City Drowned in God's Black Tears was Frankie Malvaiz (known as FRANKI3), whose guidance during the mixing process and innovative approach to sound design proved invaluable. Her cosy basement studio became ground zero for the album’s creation, a place where the chaos could at least be contained. FRANKI3 took on a huge share of the workload, handling microphones, experimenting with unconventional techniques, and diving headfirst into the mess alongside the duo.

One of the album’s standout elements—its experimental and layered sound—wouldn’t have existed without her. FRANKI3 designed and built many of the Eurorack modules used throughout the project, some from DIY kits and others from scratch using motherboards. These modules unlocked sounds that hadn’t even been imagined which brought a raw, unpredictable energy to the record. It was an experimental, messy process, driven more by hunger and stubborn determination than any sense of triumph. Her creativity with mic placements, mixing techniques, and gear tinkering gave the album its character and edge.

Thematically, the album dives headfirst into the grotesque tragedies of today, from the violence of late-stage capitalism to the ongoing slaughter of Palestinians, while reflecting on the duo’s own mental health struggles. The lyrics in the single "Sometimes, Papi Chulo" capture this raw intensity, combining grim humour and bleak truths in lines like: "Sometimes you say fuck and don’t pay back your friends / Sometimes life don’t give a chance to make amends / Sometimes you raise your kids right / They come out fucked / Sometimes you throw the perfect punch / And that cat still duck."

The track balances gallows humour with existential dread, culminating in the refrain: "Sometimes you laugh, sometimes you cry / But in the end it don’t matter 'cause you still gotta die."

Initially intended to be less political, A City Drowned in God's Black Tears became a poignant reflection of the current state of the world. The duo, wary of being pigeonholed as solely political artists, found themselves compelled by global tragedies and systemic violence to create a record that speaks truth to power while staying true to their ethos.

At the heart of their work is the tension that fuels their partnership—a creative process defined by playful clashes and relentless experimentation. They aren’t afraid to push boundaries or each other, crafting music that is visceral, challenging, and deeply personal. “Sometimes it’s not about making the perfect track; it’s about making the one that makes us laugh, cry, or think,” Ennals reflects.

Their dynamic also extends to their personalities: Ennals keeps up with pop culture, while Ravelomanana jokes that he’s a “hipster” with little to no knowledge of modern music or celebrities. Instead, Infinity Knives could ramble on about Philip Glass, OutKast, or Sparklehorse—an idiosyncratic blend of influences that shapes their unique sound.

With their cult-level following, Infinity Knives and Brian Ennals have built a reputation for raw authenticity and a fiercely independent ethos. As underdogs, they’ve risen in an industry dominated by nepotism, relying on grassroots support and the sheer power of their creativity. They’ve graced the cover of SPIN Magazine multiple times and toured Europe, proving that true innovation finds its audience, no matter the obstacles. Acclaimed Irish hip-hop trio and fellow provocateurs KNEECAP, specifically requested the duo to support them on their biggest headline US tour last September.

“Together, Infinity Knives and Brian Ennals might seem like the poster boys for alternative or experimental hip-hop, but King Cobra proves that labels can be meaningless,” wrote The Quietus. SPIN called the duo’s work “a futuristic, dystopian masterpiece” and described Ennals as a “brilliant tragicomic nihilist.” Loud and Quiet praised Infinity Knives for his “deep love—and knowledge—of a range of genres” and the way his production “carries the listener effortlessly.”

The result of all this is an album born not out of harmony but out of discord—a reflection of the frustrations, tensions, and sheer determination that defined its making. Yet, for all the strife, the album carries the mark of its collaborators’ shared grit and the singular vision of an artist-engineer who turned a cosy basement into a crucible for innovation.

Tracklist: 

A1. The Iron Wall 
A2. Live at the Chinese Buffett 
A3. A City Drowning. God's Black Tears 
A4 BAGGY 
A5. Soft Pack Shorty 

B1. Тревога/Trevoga 
B2. Sometimes, Papi Chulo 
B3. Everyone I Love is Depressed 
B4. Two Headed Buffalo 
B5. Foggy