It’s Oct and 2007’s not over yet, so there’s still time to check out the releases I plan to spotlight here over the next whatever and add them to your best of the year list by 12/31. Then, it’s your job to pull someone else’s coat. And of course, anything you think I missed . . .
In 2007, You Missed Arcsin’s Oculus Fang:
Arcsin’s Oculus Fang is a total nutbag delight of instrumental Hip Hop. Remember when DJ Shadow put out Endtroducing and half a dozen people in a week told you, “Hey dude, DJ Shadow sampled “Orion” [by Metallica].” Somehow, this disc is an extension of that. That’s not because of any recognizable samples or because Arcsin mines metal in particular, but because of the dark mood and abundance of guitars all over this record. Like DJ Shadow, and much like DJ Muggs, Arcsin exhibits no fear of rock. These are really prog rock guitars too, as well as prog synths and I don’t mean Krautrock either. This is more like Yes or ELP.
Given that prog rock can often get a bit overblown, what keeps Oculus Fang grounded are the boom bap drums. Thankfully, the Hip Hop beat is inherently rebellious and this allows the instrumental layering to take flight without completely leaving the block party or entering territory too pretentious. Also, the guitar and synth sounds are used to conjure up atmosphere rather than as a showcase for some wank minded guitar player.
Props must be given for the mixing too. Did Arcsin, NASA, or unknown third parties EQ this thing? Whoever did it thankfully understands how the high pitched can co-exist with the aforementioned boom bap. Get lost in this and at the least, check out “Scarlet Fever” and see if you don’t want more.
http://www.uncommonmusic.net/index.cfm
In 2007, You Missed Frank N Dank’s The EP: Dopeness Galore:
Friends and collaborators with Dilla for years, these guys sound like they love Kraftwerk, the strip club, and Hip Hop. In other words, they’re unapologetically from Detroit. Though not without mourning for Dilla, this disc is more of a celebration with simple but welcome credos throughout: “It’s so basic and here’s your chance/For everybody just to clap they hands.”
“Overseas, I’m gettin’ cheese,” is another casual rhyme on “Why.” Frank N Dank are infinitely more popular around the globe than at home. True to that, a host of Dutch producers put in work on the EP and the result is actually compelling and minimal Midwestern funk. Take a listen to The EP: Dopeness Galore and surrender to the steez both retro and hard all around.
Leave A Comment!