by Brad MillsSince 1996, when 7L & Esoteric dropped their first single, many people were awaiting a full-fledged album release. Five years later it finally arrived, and Soul Purpose was definitely worth the wait. The production on the album is top-notch, with quality cutting and sampling that works well for the overall sound. The beats produced by 7L are space odyssey-ish, with a bit of Deltron 3030 and a futuristic feel, with xylophones, brass instruments, and strange throbbing sounds. The beats match with Esoteric's strong, slow, plodding delivery found on just about every track. His rhymes seem to stand out more when there's another MC on the track, such as with Mr. Lif on "Operating Correctly" or with Apathy and Reks on "Public Execution." There's an interesting circus-sounding beat on "Guest List" that should be checked out, too. A good album overall, with depth and great length at 20 tracks, Soul Purpose is evidence of what these guys are capable of. Definitely look forward to more good things from these two.