Time Can’t Be Replaced

De La Soul featuring Estelle and Pete Rock “Memory of… (US)”

It sucks that De La Soul were essentially forced to abandon the dense sample-centric aesthetic of their most famous works because, well, it’s just absurdly expensive and labor-intensive to clear so many samples. But at the same time, it’s good to hear them get pushed out of their comfort zone and avoid outright nostalgia. Like, maybe it’s better that these dudes in their late 40s don’t have the option of the musical equivalent of squeezing into the clothes they wore when they were 23.

“Memory of…(US)” sounds mature in a way that is not a thinly veiled euphemism for boring. It’s a love song from the perspective of adults who’ve been through some shit together and are wondering if it’s possible to get back to the good times. This is really an Estelle song – her delicate, nuanced voice carries the whole thing, and matches the elegance of Pete Rock’s low-key, string-centric production. Posdnuos and Dave’s verses elaborate on Estelle’s lyrics, and allow them to give voice to all the men who’ve messed up a good thing and know it. Their words aren’t 100% apologetic, but they are definitely coming from a place of guilt and regret. They try to explain themselves, but not in a “this will get me off the hook” way. It’s more like feeling embarrassed, and realizing that they’re responsible for sabotaging a good thing.

Buy it from Amazon.