For those unaware, Anthony “Ant” Davis is a distinguished hip-hop producer, one-half of the renowned duo Atmosphere, and a founding member of independent record label Rhymesayers Entertainment.

His decades-long career of beat-making has also included works for MF DOOM, Brother Ali, Murs, Rav, Sage Francis and a dozen others. Raised in a military family, his nomadic upbringing exposed him to many diverse influences and, coupled with his father’s love for collecting records, laid the groundwork for his deep appreciation for all sorts of music.

Ant’s latest endeavor, Collection of Sounds, is a four-volume series of instrumental works showcasing the breadth and depth of his musical expertise.

The Collection of Sounds series offers a window into Ant’s creative journey, reflecting his evolution as an artist over the years. Drawing from a vast vault of unreleased material, he’s exhumed cross sections of his catalog with surgical precision, organizing songs by sound rather than mere chronology.

Collection of Sounds: Vol. 2 is the second in this much beloved series of previously unreleased material from the vault of the distinguished hip-hop producer, and aside from the usual ways it has been released, we were lucky enough to be sent a custom yellow vinyl, that comes in a die-cut jacket with a yellow translucent window on its front.

Side A:
1. A Fly Sound Collection
2. Pain Or
3. Changes
4. Velvet Ish
5. A Sagittarian Wrote It
6. Willie Loop
7. I Got One
8. Don’t Do Me Like That Again

Putting the vinyl album on the turntable, something that I always love to do, this richly textured set of soundscapes opens on the smoothly funky A Fly Sound Collection, the soulful Pain Or, the reflective tones within Changes and the mellow-grooved Velvet Ish, and they are followed by the introduced, deep soul of A Sagittarian Wrote It, the flourishing, minute long Willie Loop, the collective I Got One, the first side rounding out on the all-embracing harmonies and rhythms that encapsulate Don’t Do Me Like That Again.

Side B:
9. Side Four Coloring
10. Cutting Room Floor Felt Beat No 117
11. Size 17 Shirt
12. Segue Way Freak
13. Claps, Cuica, Synth Part 1
14. Claps, Cuica, Synth Part 2
15. Damn Koop 2012
16. Just Didn’t Fit In 2004

Flipping the vinyl album over, re-dropping the needle, the first track of the second side are the star gazing harmonies within Side Four Coloring, the funkalicious Cutting Room Floor Felt Beat No 117 and the retro ambiance of Size 17 Shirt, and they are in turn backed seamlessly by the spoken word-driven smoothness of Segue Way Freak, the aptly-titled, soulfully-infectious duo Claps, Cuica, Synth Parts 1 and 2, the second collection coming to a close on the electronically cultured Damn Koop 2012 and the low slung, old school funk and slide of Just Didn’t Fit In 2004.

The second installment of his instrumental series, Collection of Sounds: Vol. 2, features smooth beats, intricate sampling, and lush, jazzy layers that create an immersive atmosphere. He masterfully incorporates sly riffs and funk-laden grooves, stirring sentimentality and highlighting his ability to craft emotive, engaging music.

The result is a sonically complex album where Ant blends funk, soul, classic R&B, and hip-hop influences, evoking a nostalgic sense of bygone eras.

www.rhymesayers.com