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Watch Shabazz Palace’s Overdue, Assassin-Chic ‘An Echo…’ Video

Shabazz Palaces, "An Echo From the Hosts that Profess Infinitum," video

Ishmael Butler hasn’t released an album with his Sub Pop-signed hip-hop group Shabazz Palaces since Black Up, one of 2011’s best albums, but his presence is still as vital as ever. Light in the Attic imprint Modern Classics recently reissued 1994’s Blowout Comb, from Butler’s beloved Brooklyn rap trio Digable Planets. And Shabazz Palaces themselves remixed an Animal Collective track earlier this year. Now Pitchfork has posted the stylishly sinister black-and-white video for Black Up‘s “An Echo From the Hosts That Profess Infinitum,” just in time for a set of mostly overseas Shabazz Palaces tour dates. The heady track is built around a childlike looped vocal sample that eventually gives way to a mbira percussion breakdown; the stark clip, directed by Joris Grelet, follows sword- and explosive-wielding figures. They’re imposing enough that the song’s repeated question, “Who do you think you are?” doesn’t really require an answer.

Shabazz Palaces tour dates:

June 21 – Singapore @ Home Club
June 22 – Hanoi, Vietnam @ American Club
June 23 – Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam @ Cargo Bar
June 26 – Hong Kong, China @ Backstage Live
June 27 – Manila, China @ B-Side
June 28- Shanghai, China @ Yuyintang
June 29 – Beijing, China @ Yuyintag
July 2 – Busan, Korea @ Almost Famous
July 4 – Seoul, Korea @ Club Keu
July 13 – Seattle, WA @ Silver Jubilee
August 2 to 4 – Happy Valley, OR @ Pickathon Festival
August 9 – Olga, WA @ Doe Bay Fest