Zach Top Unlearning Vol. 2 [VINYL]

On the opening track of Unlearning Vol. 2, his fifth solo album, Evidence starts by breaking patterns. “Set the autopilot, cruising speed,” he says—a line that evokes his signature laid-back flow. But instead of coasting, the Venice native chooses disruption. “That’s a setup for a punch to land with ‘true indeed,’” he continues, setting the tone for an album that’s less about comfort and more about transformation. The track’s title, “Plans Change,” couldn’t be more fitting. Since his emergence with Dilated Peoples, Evidence has always exuded a cool, effortless control. But Unlearning Vol. 2, like its 2021 predecessor, rejects any slide into legacy status. It’s not just a stylistic pivot—it’s a deeper, more introspective journey, one rooted in technical mastery but driven by instinct and curiosity.Instead of recycling past glories, Evidence explores rawer emotional terrain, crafting a sound that’s both grounded and experimental. The production casts a hypnotic spell with tracks like Sebb Bash’s harrowing “Seeing Double,” C-Lance’s nostalgic “Top Seeded,” and Evidence’s own eerie “Greatest Motivation.” Yet his voice remains the anchor, cutting through the haze with precision and depth. Tracks like “Nothing’s Perfect” show his lyrical agility, while “Laughing Last” blends stoicism and vulnerability in reflections on family and loss. Collaborators span eras—The Alchemist, DJ Babu, Blu, Domo Genesis, Larry June, Conductor Williams and more—yet the project stays unified by a core ethos: to reinvent, to recontextualize, and to turn pain into purpose through creativity