Food For Animals

Scavengers

(Mucka Muck Produce, 2004)

So, by this date in 2004, one can listen to a hip-hop album and guess with about 85% accuracy as to whether one is listening to white or black folks. The MC in FFA actually gave it away before I played the slab. A good number (but by no means all) of black folks inject some Afro-centrism into their rap, and that’s understandable. But I highly doubt anyone other than a white guy would invoke Voltaire in his moniker. That being said, the music on here, courtesy of noise-smith Ricky Rabbit is plain old insane. It sounds like RR lives in a garbage can and takes alotta speed. I suppose it’s very electro-influenced, but I’m tired of saying that. I’m gonna say that these folks listen to a good amount of punk and understand the usefulness of confrontational noises. That being said, the raps, outta the craw of Vulture Voltaire, on here are definitely not standard in style. The fervent growl of Voltaire is unquestionably endearing, but there is a difference between unparalleled genius and straight up crap. Only sometimes can I tell the difference. Good thing this is one if the times I can see clearly. To call FFA genius music makers would be pushing it, but they’re relatively original. Right now, in hip-hop and rock music, it seems to be popular to create noise and consider it art. There aren’t always beats, like on “Oh Oh Oh” and “Feedback”, just organized noise. On “Scavengers” VV spits out the line “I’m beyond beats,” and I would tend to agree. However, the groups’ nexus becomes most evident on “TTFN”. Just don’t try to dance, or the doctors’ll be on you with anti-seizure meds.

Blue Sky Black Death

A Heap of Broken Images

(Mush, 2006)

It seems odd that the first full length release by a hip-hop/electro production team would be a double album. This album, A Heap of Broken Images, comes twenty plus tracks deep. Not bad for a few young upstarts on an independent label. Of course the old adage of quality and quantity could apply. But looking at the guest mc’s on disc number two (Pep Love, Guru, Rob Sonic, Mike Ladd, Mikah-9 and AWOL One) it should be safe to assume that there are a few inventive and entertaining beats present on this first effort release. The theme of the album though, on the instrumental disc as well as disc two, is paranoia. Some intangible quality springs forth from the music that makes the listener tense and almost uneasy. Regardless of that, you’ll most likely want to continue listening. The one criticism that could be given credence is the over reliance on the guitar sample. Fans of Saul Williams will no doubt delight, and while one could make the argument that Kingston and Young God have simply cultivated this particular style based around the sound of this instrument. The tracks on the instrumental disc range more in style, moving from suburbanite hip-hop to something close to electro dance music. Guru makes an appearance on disc two and while it isn’t his strongest verse, the fact that he gave his time to these two producers speaks to the quality of this release. Disc two though does ultimately sound basic when contrasted with the instrumental disc, but quality none the less. Blue Sky, Black Death and Mush Records fit perfectly together, mashing up sounds and spitting them back out in some distorted but fascinating reconstruction.