Not since Common’s "I Used to Love H.E.R.”, have many tracks come close to capturing the “love letter to hip
hop” concept without coming off as trite or cliché. However, Vol. III,
the latest effort from Brother Beatbox would have made hip hop proud to call
the UK producer her lover.
“Mic wherever, we tied
together” featured MC, Joker Starr, declares over soul-infused lead single,
“Pen and Paper”. What immediately stands out about this album is the lush
instrumentation. Lighter-than-air violin phrases dance over thunky bass lines,
creating a symphony that dares listeners to get bored.
Brother Beatbox’s layered
style nods to Golden Era sampling technique, and the psychedelic trot of his
guitar riffs could be equally at home on the Shaft motion picture soundtrack. However, don’t expect to hear
anything too familiar on this album. Perhaps as a result of his many years as a
drummer for metal bands (of all things!) Brother Beatbox values live
musicianship very highly. Thus he has made it his mission not to sample the
work of other artists. Every ‘boom bap’ of the drums, every ‘wow-wow’ of the
guitar is an original recording. Instead of creating a patchwork of electronic
instruments and borrowed voices, Brother Beatbox either played himself or
recruited musicians to record especially for the project.
With so many influences
colliding though, there comes the risk of overwhelming the listener. “Pick the
Pace Up” for example feels cluttered production wise and left this reviewer
feeling wary about what was to follow. However, right around track 3, Vol. III strikes a melodious sweet spot
amid the hip hop/jazzy/funky vibe it’s going for.
With Beatbox busy on the
boards, Vol. III enlists over a dozen
MCs to narrate the project. Mikey T’s chant-worthy chorus on “New Beginnings”
is sure to make the track a live show favorite while Lego’s rapid fire flow on
“Harpnod” will be a reason to hit replay. That said, though the themes of the
album are ones that are easy to vibe with--authenticity, growth, redemption of
the genre--certain tracks fall a bit to the side of corny. However, the
sincerity with which they are delivered is a redeeming factor.
What makes the execution of
this album truly impressive though, is that despite a multitude of voices and
styles, Vol. III manages to deliver a cohesive message. Enter, “These Hills are
Alive”-- Vol. III’s lyrical crowning
jewel and the track during which the album truly becomes a love letter.
“Hip hop is the pictures in the wind/hear the drum of the earth, words of
the water,” MC Lakai swoons. Vol. III
is Brother Beatbox’s vision of what hip hop should be--and it has nothing to do
with the “chains and watches/skeezers running around topless” obsession by
which his peers often operate.
Vol. III could be the start of a brand new type of hip hop mindset. With a
groove-rap aesthetic and lyrical prowess that begs their contemporaries to
raise the bar, Brother Beatbox and his artillery of spitters are optimistic,
yet hold no punches.
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