Maybe it's got something to do with the implicitly sinister vacated forecourt of the sleeve, but there's something noir-ishly evocative about DJ Signify's latest opus for the esteemed Bully label. Opener 'The Sickness' has a filmic, Third Man sort of feel to it, chiefly stemming from the suspenseful, resonating keystrokes that command the lead melody. The ensuing 'Low Tide' steps out of the shadows, assisted by some choice verses from Aesop Rock, but there's still more than a hint of darkness lacing these beats. It's the first of two tracks to feature the underground rap maven's vocals, the second being the sludgy 'Sink Or Swim', bringing to mind some creaky, Portishead-style haunted house sounds. Shifting into experimental territory, 'Vanessa' flirts with melody and nebulous sound designs whilst always preserving the necessary crunch to keep the beats in good shape. After one of the album's many brief interlude snippets, deep blue chords and funereal horns mark out another outstanding moment in the shape of '1993'. It's nestled right in the middle of the album, well and truly avoiding any danger of a halfway-point slump - in fact, right up to the very end there's no shortage of highs to rave about: 'Bollywood Babies' supplies soaring string motifs and grainy snares, injecting another dosage of near-gothic dramatism. In an age when instrumental hip hop embraces the digitised fluency of Flying Lotus et al, it's all the more rewarding to discover such vehemently old-fashioned, sampler-driven productions are still able to bring something fresh to the table in 2009. Highly recommended.A1 The Sickness A2 Low Tide Rap [Featuring] - Aesop Rock A3 Interlude 1 A4 Costume Kids B1 Delight To The Sadist Featuring, Guitar, Keyboards - Matt Kelly B2 Interlude 2 B3 Vanessa B4 Interlude 3 B5 1993 B6 Interlude 4 Co-producer - Blockhead C1 Sink Or Swim Rap [Featuring] - Aesop Rock C2 The Gods Get Dirty C3 Interlude 5 C4 Bollywood Babies C5 Interlude 6 D1 Hold Me Don't Touch Me D2 Low Tide (Instrumental) D3 Sink Or Swim (Instrumental)
