Dalek : " Endangered Philosophies"

Death Grips was a cool concept that believed it's own hype and lost track of it's mission statement. But long before that project existed Dalek was rapping out of the box and creating jarring hip-hop. It has what other's trying to make experimental and noisy hip hop often forget about...groove. It's a big dirty "Check Your Head" style beat, but more rough around the edges. I like how "Weapons" is dark and brooding with the track playing backwards to further weave a surreal web around you. The lyrics are thoughts on the world around them without getting to mired down in being political. When it comes to rap, I don't think they should trust either party. "Few Understand" inhabits a similar sonic space that DJ Shadow often occupies. It is more droning and atmospheric than the first songs.

" the Son of Immigrants" says a rise in imminent, but it's more of a call to wake up than to arms. Perhaps lyrical that is what is hinted at , but the music lulls you into a womb like environment. The hypnosis continues to bring the gnosis on "Beyond the Madness " The rap falls back further in the mix and feels more freestyled than the songs that preceded it. While it's very unconventional when compared to mainstream hip-hop, it does adhere to a formula in terms of song structure. The ambiance becomes more intangible, while the vocals step up in the mix for "Sacrifice", As with most rap, the chorus is the chanted hook. Here they break away from the formula and keep chanting the chorus so when it breaks down to what would be a verse it feels more like spoken word.

The beat to " Nothing Stays Permanent" has more of a 90s trip-hop feel to it. I like the dissonance in the verses. This is more like what I have come to known this project as over the years. Long time fans will find this one to be one of their favorite songs. Sometimes they let the ambiance linger more than others. With "A Collective Cancelled Thought" it's allowed to simmer for two minutes until they drop the beat in. It loses me in it's drone eventually. I think the execution is better on "Battlecries" where he name drops Ian Curtis. It's slower and come along the lines of what you might expect from Tricky. They do credibility for trying to compare Jackie Wilson to Elvis. The argument ends with you say Elvis everyone knows , Jackie Wilson only fans of early r&b over the age of 50.

"Straight Razors" is more compressed . It clocks in around four minutes. The rap is not focused on returning back to the hook and flows more freely. This is not to say that they deviate from the formula altogether they just don't adhere as closely. The closing song "Numb" is more sing song, so it's about as up beat as this album gets.