The Hartford Advocate is a weekly Arts and Culture newspaper servicing the Hartford, CT area.

Sun Zoo’s third full-length is emblematic of a paradigm shift in independent hip-hop. Digital production, digital promotion, and digital distribution shoot Can’t See The Forest straight into the veins of underground beat fiends. As for the CT native/Brown University student’s rhymes — consistent doesn’t even begin to describe it. The title track exhibits Sun Zoo’s two greatest strengths: his keen observation as he watches his brother start puffing too much weed, and his self-awareness as he struggles with questions of whether or not he’s being hypocritical or too judgmental about the situation. If there’s an inauthentic moment on the whole album, it’s “Can’t Let Go,” a piece of typical MC braggadocio in which Zoo tries to convince his audience that he doesn’t give a fuck what they think. Nah, Sun. You definitely give a fuck, and that’s not a bad thing. If he can shake off the last vestiges of contemporary tougher-than-thou hip-hop culture, Sun Zoo might just be able to take rap back to the old school paradigm, where sensitivity was a sign of strength. You can find more info and download Can’t See The Forest at sun-zoo.com.

-The Hartford Advocate