In many ways, this is not music. This is Gospel. And Utopian Knights are using the vehicle of music to deliver not just a message, but a fundamental lifestyle change: Get Free.
They are also not ‘just’ documenting the urban western decline, whose outrage in systemic failure often makes for easy clickbait in audio and visual formats today. They transcend above it, using leadership to shine a light on the public, making genuine behavioural change. The record really asks: ‘are you listening hard enough?’. And you should, for here is the antidote to the hype, rage, and virility of content that divides us. If you listen hard enough, you can free yourself from the systems meant to trap us all. What is preached here is love, unity, and a healthy dose of critical thinking!
It is no mistake that the initial track ‘Get Free’ is first heard. The message of ‘get free’ is interlaced into other tracks on the record: it is the stamp of the sonic identity. This high impact, simple commanding message, sticks fast. And here is the critical thinking bottom line: the systems you know and work within? They are optional! the topics covered open the stage for the rest of the album, referencing healthcare inequalities, Religion, MAGA, ICE to name a few. Utopian Knights are political, astute, but direct and to the point. Musically, the loop is sophisticated, with a fat, thick swelling bassline driving forward this hip hop track, sparce glittering piano, and percussive use of panned and additional vocals.
There are several referenced producers on this album, and Crimson Tide (track 2) offers us a different producer (White Boy Dan). Crimson Tide pulls no punches when it states ‘this is a sound track for mutiny’ continuing its commentary on government, or systemic challenges to be pushed back on. The heavily flanged guitar (minor 9 is a complex, pleading sounding chord) offers some interest in its pattern over the bars, and there is good creativity in the dry drums pushed back in the mix with cymbals panned hard left. The guitar is very dominant over the bassline. The sudden ‘hold up?’ spoken word at the end of the track offers some playfulness and pace change, which is welcomed against some pretty heavy topics covered.
Nature God Faith opens with Another processed guitar loop, delivered in a pleasing Motown feel. Another producer, Sean Born for PG. Challz is featured. 2:48 tag is a nice touch to add some texture with he disc scratch. It’s a good vibe, but sparcely instrumented track, with Another quick ending cleverly dictated by the words spoken.
Superior Race is a brilliant track: both in concept, and musicality. It opens with Spanish spoken word samples above dramatic horns, which then drops into a deeper, more complex track with low piano, a saw tooth bass and a synth pattern that drives an urgency to it. The genre fusion with the jazzier/gospel chords really works, and there are chops and contrasts aplenty. A well explored concept in modern music, Utopian Knights manage to make commentary on racial division sound urgent, fresh, relevant to 2026. This track ends at 02:49 with a longer extract from James Baldwins 1965 speech, ‘The American Dream is at the expense of the American Negro.’ This is incredibly powerful to listen to, 61 years later. This track almost ends with the listener sucked into this speech, the music falls away and an introverted inner world builds a picture in which the words are being spoken. A powerful, well produced track.
Hood Rap opens with classy horns and a trap beat, pushed hard off the quantise like D’Angelo or Dilla for that lazy feel: well executed. This track deserves heaps of credit for its theme: Utopian Knights calling out those who hide behind a side, or an identity, to excuse doing the right, or hard thing. A universally applicable concept, but not often delivered with such pointedness or directness as these guys manage. This feels fresh, and at this point in the record, ears are fully open to hearing the messages being given.
Imminent Threat uses some nice samples, particularly the use of vibraphone and jingle bells to offer a vintage hip hop track delivery. The extra voices adds a strong extra energy, a very short track that almost instantly moves into the next track, Almighty.
Almighty keeps some elements musically (vibraphones), and changes others, here there’s a very smooth, long, wet vibraphone and choir voices. More of a chorus structure on this one. The broken voice is used persuasively at the end. The instrumentation feels lofty and suiting of a religious theme, with a mid-tempo feel.
Skywalking is another blazingly brilliant track. It opens with a spoken compliment on the aforementioned track, and with good reason! The rapping will make you smirk, it’s brilliant, and flows at pace and creativity over a great Mowtown/ bluesy loop of chucking guitars, and smooth prominent organ. Skywalking delivers just awesome energy, and just as energetically, it ends!
Final Call: a powerful No Kings track, again ensuring Utopian Knights speak where many are silenced, and give voice to the many who are not able to have a platform. The chorus demands full attention of the listener, insisting that the listener is taking in, and is changed by the depth of these words. It is a powerful call to action at the chorus. Playfully, the voice transformer section is used satirically to ‘mask’ the man providing the sage advice. It has high impact, questioning anonymity, accountability, and where to source ‘the truth’ from. This track should have a massive reach with its audience. It’s seminal in documenting a turning point in history. Its title suggests an end, but not, of the record…
Warmest Regards is then the final track, which is surprising after the apex of ‘Final Call’ which feels like the natural record end. However its still a strong track, with a more wistful, reflective, melancholy loop with wind foley, acoustic guitar, and smooth female backing vocal. I love the contrast in instrumentation when Chop da Butcha comes in, particularly the sting plucks against the drum machine. There is great contrast back to the warm vibraphones, and the last thing we hear spoken is the words ‘get Free’. Of course.
There is so much to be humbled by here: the message, the talent, the production, the musicianship and choice of rhythm, pace, and instrumentation, which is always focused on delivering the concept to the highest degree. This is a record that every young person should have on the syllabus at school for teaching Critical Thinking and analysis. On areas of improvement, Utopian Knights could supply the lyrics on Bandcamp! There’s so much work here, don’t let a single poignant word be lost, particularly for those who are not existing fans: lure them in with the full weight of the words; they will stay once the words land. Furthermore, the record is a call to action, but how does the record itself translate into a social movement? This needs 360 visibility: written, visual, other artforms for e.g. This record has the power to move people; now give them the platform to do it. Make it explicit on Bandcamp.
Utopian Knights preach a rare leadership that is not matched by their physical presence. For some, the building of trust in a leader is strongest through facial scanning: looking deep into the eyes of those speaking, to seek the integrity that can only be delivered through the micro-mannerisms of live delivery. Utopian Knights will be remembered not just for their music, but for the truth etched onto their faces: be memorable in every format, including your personal identity.
Musically, Utopian Knights are primed for taking hip hop to new places as pioneers: that unity that is preached? Take that into the instrumentation: build a sense of localism, place into the samples created and used. The local gospel choir, local coffee shop foley, local young peoples voices…work them into the samples and sounds that put Utopian Knights on the map, geographically. Build local pride and a unique Maryland fingerprint musically. Mix genres, sound sources, to reflect all that has built Utopian Knights and their community up to today in 2026. Sonic collage the history with more texture other than audio clips, to create a multi-faceted journey that means that the music delivered the message in as strong a format as the words themselves. Get brave musically, because you are asking your audience to do the same.
SCORE/Outstanding: This is a record that is that rare combination of clever, current socio-political narrative, delivered in a highly accessible, direct format. The rap commands attention like no other, asking more of the listener than most artists manage, and the listener will feel a compulsion to take on board all that is said. There is some room for growth by grabbing the genre by the scruff of its neck and challenging societal norms harder. However, even in its current state, it’s hard to match. This is enjoyable as much as it is transformational.
[We rank singles, EP’s, and albums on a scale of Poor, Mediocre, Good, Excellent and Outstanding]
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