| Thavius Beck's densely textured and slow-moving un-pop hip-hop flavor on Thru seems custom-made for release on Mush Records. It fits in perfectly with the style of dark, post-apocalyptic, urban beats that defines a good chunk of the label. To simply call Thavius Beck's sound hip-hop is like calling Skinny Puppy new wave because they were a synthesizer-based band that formed in the 80's. They weren't Depeche Mode like Thavius Beck isn't Nelly, and besides, Beck has more in common with Skinny Puppy anyway. This is Beck's second full-length release on Mush Records, his first was Decomposition and if you're familiar with it, you'll feel right at home. If you can imagine a hip-hop base served up with vintage analog synths (the dark stuff, not poppy "new wave" hooks), mixed with drum n' bass delivered like it was when everyone had a case of the pre-millenium heavies, cut-up acoustic instrumentation and fragments of melodies (even including some of Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata") looped in time with two-digit tempo rhythms, you might be imagining something close to Thavius Beck's sound. Now throw in the visuals: dusty, deserted, nighttime city streets and darkened alleys under an overcast sky framed by grey concrete and a crowd of buildings around you and you're probably even closer. He's joined by touring partner and hip-hop's poet laureate Saul Williams, folk-hearted mistress Mia Doi Todd, Los Angeles' 2Mex, and the fresh emcee talents of Nocando. Thavius knows something many don't and it's clearly weighing heavily on his mind. That something has left him agitated but not enraged. It smoulders more than it burns, maintaining a steady, dangerous glow that's demonstrated in the way the bass frequencies don't pulse as much as rumble. All that said however, Thru has some reflectively quiet times as well, as when Mia Doi Todd's voice flutters through the dusky ether of "Down". This is music that reminds you, in its own shadowy, laid-back way, that life isn't always sunshine. - Properly Chilled |
1XLP/Out Of Print