Hip Hop

ALBUM OF THE WEEK: HO99O9- TOMORROW WE ESCAPE

A few years back my friend Adam suggested I check out the band HO99O9 (pronounced Horror). I had heard the name before and was mildly curious. Then after I checked it out, I was hooked. Not long after that, we wound up going to a sort of secret show in the back of a coffee shop in Downtown Los Angeles to see HO99O9. That show really cemented for me what this band is all about. Intense isn’t the right word, more like vicious is a better way to describe this duo. HO99O9 blurs the line between hip hop, metal, industrial, electronic and then some. Having toured with Slipknot, Korn, Alice in Chains, Rob Zombie, Ministry, Cypress Hill, and Ghostface Killah, they definitely have the pedigree behind them.

Tomorrow We Escape is the bands third full length album. This one is very direct and focused on a mission. Throughout the 11 song album, there are many twists and turns that keep you captivated and trying to guess what’s next. The chaos is controlled yet burns its own path. From the instant the first song “I Miss Home” begins all the way through to the epic closer “Godflesh,” there is no letting off the pedal. Chock full of powerful beats that pulsate even in your brain even after the song is done, hooks that feel catchy but not cheesy and an edge that is razor sharp that cuts so deep. Other standout tracks include “Escape,” “OK, I’m Reloaded,” “Upside Down, and “L.A. Riots.” There are two specific songs though that truly shine on this album. The first being “Tapeworm” which features Greg Puciato (Dillinger Escape Plan, Better Lovers, The Black Queen, etc) and it’s one hell of a song. Greg takes the song to a whole other level. Just listen and you’ll know what I mean. And the other one is “Immortal” which features Chelsea Wolfe. This track is a complete 180 for the band and it is hauntingly dreamy. There’s a soothing touch to this song.

This is the album, I’ve been waiting for HO99O9 to make. The OGM and Yeti Bones have truly found their path on Tomorrow We Escape. All the elements that were thrown into the mix have a distinct place on these songs. When you think something might be out of place or a little weird, it’s not, just go with it and let it sink in. If you are looking for a barn burner of an album, this one is for you. I highly recommend you play this one loud and make sure your windows are down, it might shatter glass!

Overall Rating: A

Review By: Brian Lacy

HO99O9- Tomorrow We Escape:

Breaks & Rhymes: EL-P- Cancer 4 Cure

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This new topic, Breaks & Rhymes, is all about Hip-Hop and Rap music.

Over the last few years, I’ve found myself delving deeper into things I haven’t really listened to. Since the release of the first Run The Jewels album, I’ve come to really enjoy them a lot. Killer Mike and EL-P are truly a dynamic duo and continue to put out quality music as RTJ. While getting into them, I started to really notice how great of a producer and beatmaker EL-P is. His style is interesting and inspired from so many different genres. After raving about RTJ to a friend of mine, he sent me a few of EL-P’s solo albums (Thanks Adam!!!). One of those, Cancer 4 Cure, really stood out to me and had me totally taken aback. Listening to that album was almost like a revelation.

Cancer 4 Cure is one of the best hip-hop albums I’ve ever heard. Everything about this album is genuine, pure and transcendent. The production on this album is truly remarkable. The beats hit on different styles from trap, old school hip hop, and even bits of industrial. The samples used as well are innovative and fresh. His flow is menacing and sharp as a Mastumoto katana blade (nice Kill Bill reference there Brian *pats self on the back for that one*). EL-P (real name Jaime Meline) is and always has been the real deal.

The album starts off with one of the coolest hip-hop songs I’ve ever heard in “Request Denied.” The moment you put this album on and this song starts, you know this is going to be pretty spectacular. You’ll also find yourself reaching for the volume button or knob to turn it up so loud it rattles your speakers, car or house. The rest of the album is chock full of sic beats, flows that would make Niagra Falls jealous and topics that have actual depth and reason. Tracks like “The Full Retard,” “Works Every Time (featuring Paul Banks of Interpol), “Drones Over Brooklyn,” “Tougher Colder Killer (featuring Killer Mike),” “The Jig Is Up,” “Sign Here,” “For My Upstairs Neighbor,” “Stay Down (featuring Nick Diamonds),” and closing double track “$4 Vic/Nothing But Me and You” are to me classics. The venom spit on these songs along with the realism is very vivid and striking. Everything about this album screams classic.

Cancer 4 Cure is the type of album that if you aren’t a fan of hip-hop, it will make you one. This album hits hard and is everything that modern hip-hop should be. It’s a vicious album that is sinister at times as well as heartfelt. The album is dedicated to EL-P’s friend Camu Tao, who had a huge effect on his life. As you listen to the words and the style of rhymes, you can really tell there is more in there than what’s on the surface. EL-P has created a style of production that is revolutionary and it accompanies his rhyme style so perfectly, when you hear any song he’s been a part of, you will know right then that you are getting something sensational. EL-P has made me a believer in hip-hop music.

EL-P- Cancer 4 Cure:

Album Rank: Beastie Boys

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The other day I had a song in my head but, it was mainly the beat. After agonizing over where it came from, it finally dawned on me that it was a Beastie Boys song, “Root Down” to be exact. Naturally after that, I went on a binge of nothing but the Beastie Boys. And when I tend to do things like that, an album rank pops in my head. So, with that in mind, here’s the album rank of the Beastie Boys releases. Keep in mind that this is actually a really hard group to rank, and I’m not quite sure I got it right.

7) Hot Sauce Committee Part II:

6) To The 5 Boroughs:

 
5) Check Your Head:

4) Licensed To Ill:

 
3) Paul’s Boutique:

2) Hello Nasty:

 
1) Ill Communication:

Band Of The Week: Dälek

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When I first started Audioeclectica, the eclectic part was the main point of this site. Over the years, I think I’ve been able to branch out even more from my comfort zone and explore different genres that I haven’t gotten into. Over the past year, I’ve started to take a closer look into hip-hop music. In doing so I’ve really started to take a liking to certain artists and groups that have depth and substance to what they do. Recently I was introduced to a group from Union City, New Jersey called Dälek. Upon hearing them and finding out that they’ve been around for almost 20 years, I caught myself shaking my head profusely and thinking that I’ve been living under a rock (rock music that is. Sorry that was a bad joke). So with that in mind let me introduce you to Dälek.

More than just a normal hip-hop group, Dälek has transcended the genre by adding elements of trip hop, art rock, noise, techno, and so much more. The group themselves site bands and artists like The Velvet Underground, My Bloody Valentine, Bad Brains, Public Enemy and Eric B & Rakim among their influences and it shows through in a more inspirational was than influence. So if you think about it, if you combine those elements with a bit of an industrial vibe and a bit of the DJ Shadow ambience, you get a pretty spectacular collection of sounds. Vocally Dälek, is doing something deep and thought provoking. His words are real and the flow in which he speaks is subtlety savage. Dälek is a hip-hop group down to the core but, the other elements brought in really makes them stand out and brings in a different vibe that keeps it fresh and modern without compromising the art of it. I could go on and on about Dälek but, it’s best if you just dive in and listen.
Dalek- Endangerd Philosophies:

Dalek- Negro Necro Neckros (DEBUT ALBUM):

 

Those 90’s Songs: Warren G- Regulate

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Oh 1994, you brought us so many wonderful things musically that are forever remembered and revered. One such thing that I’ve always loved is the song “Regulate” by Warren G featuring Nate Dogg (R.I.P.). I still remember hearing this song and seeing the for the first time and thinking it was so good and cool. It was also so different from all the rock and metal I was into. “Regulate” is one of those songs that is so fondly remembered. It’s also one of those songs that when it’s played while you are out and about, you can’t help but to sing along. The “G-Funk Era” was quite cool and brought with it a vibe that just fit in perfectly with Dr. Dre’s The Chronic, Snoop Dogg’s Doggystyle and so many other great hip hop records at the time. So sit back and enjoy this sweet sweet jam.

Warren G featuring Nate Dogg- Regulate:

 

Unsung Masterpiece: Rage Against The Machine- The Battle Of Los Angeles
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The year is 1999, people are starting to get hysterical over Y2K and Rage Against The Machine are about to release their final album, the very underrated unsung masterpiece, The Battle Of Los Angeles. Debuting at number one on the billboard charts, the twelve songs on the album are armed with heavy influence from George Orwell’s 1984, making for some very eerie foreshadowing statements on what the future will bring us. Songs like “Testify,” Guerrilla Radio,” “Sleep Now In The Fire,” “Voice of the Voiceless,” and a few others have direct quotes from the book, and go on to mention more Orwellian terms. The album kicks off with 3 songs of explosive rage (pun intended haha) with “Testify,” “Guerrilla Radio,” and “Calm Like A Bomb.” Then the album shifts for a song with “Mic Check.” “Sleep Now In The Fire” takes the album back up a few notches with anger and fury, leading us into one of the best songs on the album “Born Of A Broken Man.” The next couple songs musically, tend to lean towards showing off Tom Morello’s talents with a whammy bar and a fuzz pedal. Lyrically though “Born As Ghosts” and “Maria” are strong and angry, showing off Zach De La Rocha’s venomous lyrics. “Voice Of The Voiceless” has strong connections to a favorite of the band in Mumia Abu Jamal, as well as 1984, as I mentioned above and has a bit of a funk vibe to the music. “New Millennium Homes” is a solid song, with a cool groove, that perfectly sets up my favorite Rage Against The Machine song appears on The Battle Of L.A., “Ashes In The Fall.” Lyrically and musically, Ashes brings something different to the table. This is along the same lines as how epic some songs on the first album were. The song also brings a brilliance to how tight and good Brad Wilk and Tim Commerford are together. Tom Morello’s guitar work especially in the bridge section and the ending highlight his talents even more. Closing out the album is “War Within A Breath” which picks up where Ashes leaves off, then finishes with a fury of signature Rage.

The Battle of Los Angeles to me is the second best album the band put out. In terms of songwriting and passion, this album soars above Evil Empire. Tom Morello, Brad Wilk, Tim Commerford and Zach De La Rocha were magical together. They were able to create awareness and invoke the youth to open their eyes and stand up. Something that is missing from music today. Battle is an album that upped the game a bit more for the band. Their albums stand the test of time. Keeping in mind that the band hasn’t released anything new since 1999, not much has changed in the world, making their albums more relatable than ever.

 

Rage Against The Machine- The Battle Of Los Angeles: