Right now, the lo-fi rap underground is in a cool, collaborative place. Ascendant young rappers and producers are willing to team up, not just for individual songs but for entire full-length projects. Today, we got a new one. AKAI SOLO, the prolific Brooklyn rapper, just teamed up with Navy Blue, the rap alter-ego of LA-based pro skateboarder Sage Elsesser, for the new album True Sky.

Both AKAI SOLO and Navy Blue have been busy lately. AKAI SOLO released his album Eleventh Wind less than a year ago. Navy Blue released two albums in 2020, Àdá Irin and Song Of Sage: Post Panic! A few weeks ago, Navy Blue and Earl Sweatshirt traded lines on the Alchemist’s “Nobles.” Now we get True Sky, a 14-track team-up from the two rappers.

Navy Blue raps occasionally on True Sky, and he also produced every track. AKAI SOLO does most of the rapping. The two find a woozy, introspective groove, with AKAI SOLO rapping locking into jagged, echoed-out off-kilter flows over Navy Blue’s lurching, reverbed-out, jazz-indebted beats. Check out the album below.

True Sky is out now on Break All Records/Freedom Sounds.