Jackals
and Vipers in Envy of Man (JVEM) is the second Ninja Tune album
release for hip-hop instrumentalist Robert Squire aka Sixtoo (formerly
CL S.C.A.R.R.). Canadian artist, Sixtoo grew to fame on the critically
acclaimed Anticon label (home of Doseone and Odd Nosdam) and was
a major contributor to the early 90’s North American underground
hip-hop movement which saw him flex a number of skills including
MC’ing and producing as well as being a turntablist and
graffiti artist. Beat making and producing have been his main
commercial outlet resulting in 2004’s respected and lauded
‘Chewing on Glass and Other Miracle Cures’, a moody
and cinematic instrumental soundscape featuring distinguished
guests such as a Godspeed… strings player and Can’s
Damo Suzuki. 2007 see’s Sixtoo back in action with a new
one piece 38 minute instrumental, (divided into 13 bite-size tracks
for the I-pod generation), hip-hop outing.
From
the very outset one can tell that this isn’t the languid
and half-hearted cut’n’paste work of a MC who is trying
his hand at production. Instead, the listener is treated to a
very complete and rich sounding instrumental soundtrack which
breathes life to old-skool hip-hop beats and which does not need
an MC to add that finishing touch. Immediately, it is evident
that the sampling and layering ability is of a very high standard,
however this ability is not just limited to beats. Sixtoo has
a keen eye for melody as well as the aptitude to micro produce
which results in a kaleidoscopic range of sounds, stylistically
echoing artists as diverse as Amon Tobin, RJD2 and Herbaliser.
The head-nodding ‘Part 2’ is a great example of this
and sees deep bass and submerged staccato beats collide in a dark,
shifting and multi-layered future soundscape which features noir-ish
melodies, sublime keys and industrial effects. This soundscape
typifies the albums sound.
‘Part 4’ is a stand out piece which sounds like what
Lavelle and Shadow would have been producing if they had continued
united with their UNKLE project. It starts off with a staggered
synth oscillation which gives the piece a ‘electro’
touch and is then joined by welcome layers of keys, strings and
low key beats. The track really kicks off about 1 minute in when
dirty Entroducing…era DJ Shadow percussion enters the fray.
Sixtoo plays around with the layers and the meandering melodies
to create a real slice of moody contemporary urban cool.
The grimey, twinkly submerged melody on ‘Part 8’ sounds
like the bastard child of early Mobb Deep and recent Massive Attack
and then morphs into a satisfying old-skool Herbaliser mash-up
session. ‘Part 10’ is another piece that suddenly
jumps out of your speakers due to the attentively crafted breaks
and beats which are complimented by tottering melodies and waves
of echo. Dark, fluctuating and throbbing bass arrives unannounced
half way through to inject real drive and energy into the piece
(and the album).
Its nice to see Sixtoo playing around with beats and creating
multi-layered and constantly shifting compositions which move
from claustrophobic and foreboding pieces to mellow and stripped
down melodies and then back again (with a bang). JVEM does indeed
work as a whole however there is times when the music moves into
the background yet it is reigned back immediately with a deftly
crafted melody or a stomping industrial beat. Very nice indeed.
(AM)
.
For fans of: Massive Attack, RJD2, DJ Shadow, MF Doom
Instrumentals
|
