Boom Bap Project are making their grand return to music with the release of ‘Return Flight,’ the group’s first album in 14 years. Despite the gap in releases, emcees Karim (a/k/a Nightclubber Lang) and Destro Destructo, along with DJ Tre sound just as fired up, fresh, and relevant as ever.

“Return Flight’ is about returning to doing music together,” Karim explains. “It’s about the different places we’ve been over the past 14, 15 years, all the life experiences we’ve gained and our growth as people and how we are bringing all those things together and coming back home.”

You can hear just what Karim means on the album’s opening track, “Been So Long,” a contemplative and soul-baring explanation of the whys and hows behind the group’s comeback. It also features tack-sharp rhymes from both emcees, like when Destro spits: “We still hip-hop to the core/ Unapologetic because that bullsh*t is a bore/ Rather hear them hard rhymes and beats/ Boom Bap Project the sound of the streets/ We back like we never been gone.”

The track features thoughtful and jazzy production from Portland’s Trox, who produced five of the seven cuts on here, including the first singles “Hagler Vs. Hearns” and “Rain or Shine.” Longtime collaborator Vitamin D provided the remaining two instrumentals on “Deion Sanders” and “Ink Drips,” which represent the group’s braggadocious and insightful sides, respectively.

It’s that level of versatility, paired with unwavering artistry, that makes Return Flight such an engaging listen. We can only hope we don’t have to wait another decade-plus for more music from BBP.

‘Return Flight’ is available now for pre-order and drops Friday, August 13 where it will also be available on vinyl and CD via Fat Beats.