The results are a sinister, almost glacial soundbed for GZA to lay his vocals on. He digs up film dialogues that are creepier than on any other Wu record before or since warps soul samples to rid any traces of retro kitsch (the disembodied vocal hook on “Cold World” still haunts) runs synth lines that add extra menace, not least with their staccato stabs on the opening title track. Released on November 7, 1995, the fourth Wu-Tang solo album (and third affiliated release in that year alone), Liquid Swords is an out-and-out masterpiece – and the most cinematic album in the collective’s history, thanks in part to RZA’s clinical production. Listen to Liquid Swords on Apple Music and Spotify. And GZA – well, there’s a reason he was also known as The Genius. Ol’ Dirty Bastard was the loose cannon: you never quite knew what was going to happen when he grabbed this mic. RZA had the production nous, creating a unique atmosphere by tweaking soul samples and lifting dialogue from martial arts films. The overall effect was to have the Wu appear like something of a superhero posse, each individual bringing a unique power. Their 1993 debut album, Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), introduced each highly individual member of the group while laying the groundwork for a flurry of solo releases, all helmed by producer/mastermind RZA. Wu-Tang Clan’s coordinated attack on hip-hop in the 90s was nothing short of magisterial.
