With some intelligence and soul, Solillaquists Of Sound’s debut proves that modern hip-hop doesn’t have to indulge in gimmicks to make noise. Championed by Sage Francis, SOS urgently discusses culture (“Black Guy Peace”), social ills (“Property & Malt Liquor”), and gender issues (“Ur Turn”) in an unpretentious fashion. Producer DiViNCi’s beats are sprinkled with dynamic changeups driven by hard drums, which compliment MC Swamburger’s thoughtful writing without ever cluttering it. Although some of the sung vocals sound out of place at times, As If We Existed is ultimately sincere, colorful, and delivered with grace.