From the opening beats of “Q.O.L.,” produced by Justo, I knew that the production value of this album was going to be good. The tight snare hits, quiet bass line, understated horn line, and the subtle use of wah-wah guitar in the background all provide a nice foundation for some solid hip hop. The pressure than shifts to the two emcees that make up Brothers From Another - Goonstar and Breez. The two youngsters from Seattle moved to California to go to college, but that didn’t stop them from continuing the work that began a few EPs back. Quality of Living is their first full length, and they prove that they were ready for the challenge.

In “Q.O.L.,” they try to take the pressure off themselves by declaring that there’s no message - it’s punch line rap. While the song may be a fun song that’s more about wordplay than narrative or message, they drop some lines that hint at an intelligence and awareness of bigger issues. There are definitely moments of immaturity on the album, but that’s not unexpected from an album penned by two teenagers. However, there’s a difference between immature teenagers spitting some ignorant rhymes and acting like assholes, and two young men who clearly demonstrate through their lyrics emotional depth and understanding of the world at large, but occasionally still get wild and girl crazy. While a few lines on “Q.O.L” made me think, “All right, what direction are we headed on this album?” Goonstar and Breez soon open themselves up to honest introspection and provide more of an emotional connection than you might expect from the first few opening bars. “Say Something (The Party)” does a great job of capturing a young man struggling with one side of him that yearns for a substantial relationship and another side that feels the pressure to hook up with a woman at a party because he’s young and thinks certain expectations are placed on him. “Adapt,” featuring J. Pinder provides a nice window into the struggles of two young guys who are just beginning their careers and entering adulthood. “Beeba Vision Part II” is excellent at capturing the feeling of warm comfort that comes with being back in your hometown and catching up with old friends.

Along with Sabzi of Blue Scholars and Common Market, they work with an array of lesser known producers, such as Justo, Kromagnon & Zhu, and Morg. They all hearken back to the golden age of the early nineties, with plenty of jazz and R&B samples laid over mid tempo beats with crisp drums. Goonstar and Breez both have flows that can switch up from being more rhythmically focused to being more melodic and use this versatility to fit within the grooves laid down by the producers very well.

Quality of Living isn’t perfect, but it gives us a nice snapshot of two talented young artists figuring themselves out. There’s plenty to enjoy here, and I have a feeling that the best is yet to come.