Luka Productions – Mali Kady [2016; Sahel Sounds]

Quick and upbeat African hip-hop fills this album, with lo-fi drum machines and chintzy loops joined by free-handed auto-tune usage, propelled along with enough energy to make it all flow together effectively. The percussion tends to be the most interesting, with rhythmic jumps and pockets of deep layering giving simple arrangements quick twists into the complex, with the vocal cadence weaving alongside it. The cheapness of the loops, which often sound as though they were pulled from a salvaged Casio, doesn’t stand out as much as it might in a more polished affair, and the frequent chorus auto-tuning helps them bleed together in an interesting way.

A bigger sticking point is the consistency of the tone, with lasting change-ups to the tempo or mood rarely appearing. The occasional inclusion of other vocalists doesn’t really alleviate that problem, but they do at least inject some extra flavor. At the same time, the commitment to one particular mood within the album still allows for some variety within the particulars, and in that regard, the enthusiasm from the performers is obvious. It’s not quite enough to keep things from slipping into monotony, but there’s enough earnest spirit put into the music to keep it entertaining despite that.

Dr. Octagon – Moosebumpectomy: An Excision of Modern Day Instrumentalization [2018; Bulk Recordings]

The instrumental cut of Moosebumps: An Exploration Into Modern Day Horripilation brings the work by Dan the Automator, DJ Qbert, Kool Keith, Paul Banks, and Del tha Funkee Homosapien into clearer focus, with the scratching, beats, synth textures, and samples feeling like a complete construction even without Keith’s rapping, albeit one on the simple side. Occasional strains of electric guitar blend well with the generally gritty vibe, and while the underlying loops are fairly chill, the action on top gets almost hyper at times. Attention to fleshing out the numerous layers is evident throughout the album, and pulls from a wide array of sources broaden the flavor palette. Though not especially interesting listening, the exposure it gives to the supporting structures is appreciable.

Beastie Boys – Hello Nasty [1998; Brooklyn Dust Music, Capitol Records, EMI, EMI Music Canada, Gala Records, Grand Royal, KA Music]

Following the stylistic sprawl of 1994′s Ill Communication, the Beastie Boys returned with a new DJ (Mixmaster Mike, replacing DJ Hurricane, and making it clear with “Three MCs and One DJ”) and an increasingly light-hearted mood. Packing 22 tracks, the album moves at a fairly quick clip, with just one of the songs breaking the four-minute mark, though none drop below two minutes. With producer Mario Caldato, Jr., held over from their last two albums, plucks of piano, beat loops, and miscellaneous sampled garnishes (with an apparent delight in corny speech samples and dance instructions) are melded together with smooth but punchy flow, bolstered by a willingness to kick the bass in hard.

Notably reduced is the presence of Money Mark, whose keyboard work was all over Ill Communication and appears on only four of Hello Nasty’s tracks, but the range of enlisted styles roams wide enough to make up for his omission. As shown in the album’s break-out hit, “Intergalactic”, the goofy and chill are blended to fine effect, but there’s also efforts at jumping from hip-hop into downtempo jazz, funk, trip-hop, world music, and even folk pop, making for an experience which really luxuriates in its late-’90s origins. Quirkier
and with a lighter tone

than previous albums, Hello Nasty makes for something of an odd cap on the ‘90s version of the Beastie Boys, even while establishing Mixmaster Mike as their most iconic DJ, but the abundance of ideas it collects is appreciable even when the sunniness gets a little tiresome.

Dr. Octagon – Moosebumps: An Exploration of Modern Day Horripilation [2018; Bulk Recordings]

Released twelve years after Kool Keith’s last album under the Dr. Octagon persona, The Return of Dr. Octagon (which ended up being finished by the OCD International label without Keith), Moosebumps quickly finds its footing after getting a too-long intro track (which tries to cram the word ‘octagon’ into every verse) out of the way. The subsequent tracks mix firm beats, odd synth texturing, fast-moving vocal work dropping pop culture references left and right, and turntable action from Kid Koala and DJ Qbert, while Dan the Automator provides co-writing on all songs.

The kaleidoscopic results are almost all high-energy, with a couple of stops in more mellow territory, and the broad range of samples sources adds to its eclectic impressions. The focus balance of words and beats feels a little skewed too far in either direction at times, with bass surges nearly drowning out the vocals or cadences running free from the backing rhythms, but the energetic assemblage of everything helps smooth out those rough patches. Lots of fun and rich in detailing, and a nice way to get the Dr. Octagon side-project back on track after a long hiatus.

Here’s the alternate cover art.

Beastie Boys – Ill Communication [1994; Brooklyn Dust Music, Capitol Records, Capitol Records Ltd., EMI, EMI Music Canada, EMI Odeon Chilena S.A., Grand Royal]

After the success of their first three albums, the Beastie Boys continued expanding their sound palette with Ill Communication, with jazz samples, punk interludes,
electronic filters, and lots of humor. Trimming out the short joke tracks of Check Your Head, the group shows more focus on playing around with the rap components, with the members playing the instruments for a chunk of their backbeats, letting a couple of tracks run on into abrupt cut-offs, building the cop-drama-homage music video for “Sabotage”, and bringing in a handful of guests (including Suicidal Tendencies’ Amery Smith, A Tribe Called Quest’s Q-Tip, and Biz Markie).

Despite the sharp twists in style from song to song, the album keeps a chill flow intact, largely due to the persistent personalities of the three MCs, even across the instrumental tracks. The heavy use of filters on their voices does get tiresome at times, but the amount of other effects going on at the same time helps distract from it, to a degree. Though it would be four years before the next album emerged (bringing Mixmaster Mike in to replace DJ Hurricane), the diversification over the eight years between their frat rap debut and this LP shows how much their hunger for fun helped them develop.

Here’s the alternate cover art.

Viktor Vaughn – VV:2: Venomous Villain [2004; Insomniac, Inc.]

In the second (and, so far, final) album from MF DOOM’s side-project of Viktor Vaughn, the rapper doesn’t do much to mix up his usual style, despite bringing in several guests in production, DJ, and rap spots. The main thing distinguishing it from other releases in his catalog is the squelchy glitchiness of electronic textures added to the songs, and a tendency to ramble on without sticking to the song’s meter. As a result of sticking to his usual MO, DOOM’s low-pitched delivery tends to get overshadowed by the comparative high-energy of the guest rappers, and (whether as a result of trying to emulate a younger mind-set or not) the choruses and line hooks end up mostly unmemorable.

The samples and scratching come closest to being the album’s saving grace, but even there, it’s low-impact stuff, for the most part, with few dig-ups that really stand out. The most consistent piece of quality lies in the backing beats, making it a bit of a disappointment that the instrumentals were never released. The lack of any reissues for the album since its original release aren’t exactly surprising in light of its content’s standing, but that’s had the unfortunate effect of driving up demand for a forgettable record.