Cession

Cession’s CD has been a long time coming. Partners Exavier “Marte” Russell Swain and Terrence “Smoke” McGinnis, subsequently joined by Joseph “Fuqua” Jones, have been performing and recording together since the first half of the ’90s, but this disc is the group’s first full-length — and it’s a strong effort.

Songs such as “Click” don’t exactly shatter stereotypes from a rhyming perspective, but the tunes are very well-produced, with an assortment of musical touches regularly enhancing the drama. Examples include “Lil Girl,” boosted by a quasi-gospel arrangement; “Rise and Fall,” featuring clever percussion and effective synthetic strings; and “We Can Talk,” which juxtaposes the steady flows of the main men with the passionate vocalizing of Terry Black.

World is far more developed than the typical debut; experience resonates with every beat. Cession has waited more than a decade for this moment, and the trio is making the most of the opportunity.