GZA’s 1995 classic Liquid Swords, one of the most iconic albums in the broader Wu-Tang Clan canon, is about to get a spectacular vinyl reissue. The album is a new entry in the Vinylphyle series, which brings beloved releases to 180-gram black vinyl with all-analog mastering from original sources where available.
Like all Vinylphyle releases, Liquid Swords will be packaged in a tip-on wrapped gatefold jacket in satin matte finish and printed on clay-coated board, with archival poly sleeves and a four-panel insert featuring new liner notes—this time by former Yo! MTV Raps host Ed Lover. This release pulls from the 1995 Sterling Sound digital master by Joe Nino-Hernes. While the Liquid Swords sessions were recorded to 2-inch 24-track tape, final mixes were printed on DAT tapes; digital sampling was an integral part of producer RZA’s creative process.
Though GZA’s solo debut was 1991’s Words From The Genius, sophomore album Liquid Swords was his first release after the breakout success of the Wu-Tang Clan’s 1993 debut Enter The Wu-Tang: 36 Chambers, which raised the profile of the core Wu-Tang lineup and their many affiliates. He made the most of the brighter spotlight, draping RZA’s grimy beats with some of the most intricate verbiage ever laid down on a hip-hop record.
Tracks like “Liquid Swords,” “4th Chamber,” and “Shadowboxin’” made Liquid Swords a landmark of East Coast hip-hop. Threaded through with samples from Shogun Assassin and guest spots from his Wu-Tang associates, the album is first and foremost a showcase for GZA’s rugged lyrical prowess and his preternatural connection with RZA. Calling GZA “a highly focused master-craftsman,” The Source’s Selwyn Seyfu Hinds wrote, “throughout Liquid Swords he maintains a clear, precise flow, one that reflects deadly-sharp purpose and skilled execution.”
Similar rave reviews rolled in from around the world, and the album’s reputation has continued to grow in the decades since. All Music Guide’s Steve Huey wrote that Liquid Swords is “often acclaimed as the best Wu-Tang solo project of all,” noting that it “cemented the Genius/GZA’s reputation as the best pure lyricist in the group—and one of the best of the ’90s.” Its status as one of the finest rap records ever remains undisputed.
Shop the 2LP Vinylphyle edition of GZA’s Liquid Swords here.
