Minnesota-based duo Eyedea and Abilities are set to return with their first new album in five years this summer, via Rhymesayers Entertainment.

The album will be titled By The Throat, following up their 2004 breakout release E&A.

According to a press release, the album's songs range from intensely personal topics to the more esoteric (quantum mechanics). The end result is leaps and bounds beyond what MC Eyedea is perhaps best known for, his prowess as a battle rapper (winner of HBO's "Blaze Battle", Scribble Jam and several others). DJ Abilities, also a well-known battle vet and contributor to El-P's now-classic Fantastic Damage, adds heavily to the sonic soundscape of this album, which advances beyond boom-bap hip-hop into rock-fueled guitar riffs, gritty production and melodic songwriting.

The duo were instrumental in the wave of independent hip-hop that includes Atmosphere, El-P, Aesop Rock, Living Legends and several other seminal acts. By The Throat is poised to be their most progressive and refined effort to date.

Until the album drops on July 21, Eyedea and Abilities will be doing shows. First, they will be performing at Rhymesayers' Soundset '09 on May 24th, and will be headlining a tour in the fall of 2009.

They have also been confirmed for the following Rock the Bells dates this summer.

06/27 - Chicago, IL @ First Midwest Bank Amphitheater
06/28 - Detroit, MI @ DTE Energy Music Theatre
07/05 - Toronto, ON @ Molson Amphitheater
07/12 - Washington DC @ Merriweather Post Pavilion
07/18 - Boston, MA @ Comcast Center |
07/19 - New York, NY @ Jones Beach Amphitheater
08/01 - Vancouver, BC @ Deer Lake Park
08/06 - Denver, CO @ Red Rocks Amphitheater
08/08 - Los Angeles, CA @ San Manuel Amphitheater
08/09 - San Francisco, CA @ Shoreline Amphitheater

For more info on the duo, visit them on MySpace at MySpace.com/EyedeaAndAbilities.