NEW ALBUMS

Aesop Rock makes backpackers across the continent salivate. He is the embodiment of “lyricism,” spitting out line after abstract line in ideal multi-syllabic, rapid-fire fashion. He makes his own beats, off-kilter pastiches of lo-fi drums and weird bass noises. Devoid of charisma, he is a bastion of grim determination and pure skills. And best of all, he is Underground—known only to the backpacking elite, his primary means of publicity for several years was the internet. Now on New York City’s Def Jux label—which has already made a name for itself with a critically acclaimed album from Harlem’s Cannibal Ox—Aesop is in a prime position to burst out of his independent bubble and reach unsuspecting audiences worldwide. His latest creation, Labor Days, was even celebrated recently by the ultimate hip-hop authority, Entertainment Weekly. Fortunately, the album lives up to its praise, representing both Aesop’s break into the mainstream, however tiny, as well as his maturaztion as a persevering artist.

Produced mainly by Aesop himself and relative unknown Blockhead, the music on Days is melancholy and evocative, featuring a host of exotic crate-dug samples—dusty sax, ancient Japan and eerie tango—sounding quite unlike the metallic future-funk that’s currently in vogue, though equally compelling. The sparse beats are surprisingly dynamic, often shifting directions to complement Aesop’s raps, which are lightning-fast, stoic and nearly incomprehensible. While none of this really breaks with the dogma of traditional hip-hop, Aesop Rock’s real brilliance lies in the way he makes the most of his decidedly average personality. Portraying himself frankly as a typical urban dweller addicted to music and television, he creates a compelling character out of mediocrity and the everyday. With imaginative songs such as “No Regrets,” an allegorical fairy tale in which Aesop reflects upon the repetitive, unspectacular life he leads, Labor Days is a creative apex of independent hip-hop, a rare instance of purism becoming interesting.

Extremely prolific, Aesop Rock may prove instrumental in bringing underground hip-hop out of its creative rut.

—Ryan J. Kuo

Trüby Trio
DJ-Kicks
(!K7 Records)

DJ-Kicks is a series of dance music compilations from Germany, home to some of the most frenetic high-energy dance in the world. In contrast, DJ-Kicks is a much more mellow project, aimed at the less hard-core clubber. Sure, it’s music that you can dance to, but you could also listen perfectly well sitting at your desk doing your math problem set. This time it’s Trüby Trio’s turn to offer their DJ-Kicks mix. The Trüby Trio are a group of three DJs: Rainer Trüby, Christian Prommer and Roland Appel. The latter two also work together as Fauna Flash, and apparently have earned quite a name for themselves on the German club jazz scene. The Trüby Trio refer to their style as “Dance Music Fusion” as it combines elements of jazz, house, latin, Brazilian and techno music. The jazz influence is unmistakable in this mix from the opening Medley: “General Science/Ish/Papa LaBas” by Conjure, where we hear the saxophone improvise a haunting melody on a bed of synthetic strings and the piano enter with the syncopated rhythms of Thelonius Monk. As the album progresses, though, there is a clear shift to house music (although the jazz is still a constant influence) mainly in the way that the songs are constructed with an opening chorus, an improvised middle section and return to the chorus at the end. The vocals in many of the tracks make this somewhat more of a commercial compilation, but most of the samples are fresh and interesting, even if the accents take some getting used to. The best song on the album is the Freeform Five remix of “Tim Huttons Colours,” with its Cuban percussion and beautiful melody. As a mix, this album is interesting and varied. It doesn’t have the American club hits to make it a sure commercial success, but most of the songs that are included are definitely worth getting to know.

—Daniel M. S. Raper