Pivot Gang has been around for a while, buzzing on the Chicago underground circuit for years by appearing on each other’s records and those of their high-flying associates like Chance The Rapper. So, it’s a little odd to be able to point out that their new album, You Can’t Sit With Us, which dropped today, is their “first” project as a group. Yet, that’s what it’s billed as: Pivot Gang’s debut album — despite individual members, like Saba, releasing projects separately over the last few years.
The album is 13 songs long and definitely continues in the group’s tradition of combining jazzy, downtempo production with heady, structurally complex bars, from album opener “Death Row” to singles “Bad Boys” and “Jason Statham.” Despite being a group effort intended to highlight the longstanding chemistry between core members Frsh Waters, Joseph Chilliams, MFn Melo, and Saba, they still bring in plenty of help from famous friends like Jean Deaux, Kari Faux, Mick Jenkins, Smino, and Sylvan LaCue. Crew producer DaedaePIVOT provides the majority of the beats, with co-production from Daoud and SqueakPIVOT, and the subjects range from all-out lyrical assaults to thoughtful observations on their hometown’s ongoing ills and triumphs.
You Can’t Sit With Us is out now. Stream it above via Soundcloud or purchase it on Apple Music here.
