ATMA & Son of Saturn - "Jakobz Ladder Vol. 1 (The Croatoa Koans)" (2013) [Album Review]

There are albums that require repeated listens to fully digest and comprehend, whether it's because of verbose lyricism or harsh production. But in certain cases, there are those albums that deserve that attentive listening experience because of quality of the content. The latter description rings true when it comes to "Jakobz Ladder Vol. 1 (The Croatoa Koans)," hopefully the first of many joint releases from Midwestern rappers ATMA and Son of Saturn.

This record is a dense, heady affair filled with thoughtful, contemplative verses deserving of the type of lyrical breakdowns you see some artists perform at Rap Genius. But even if that doesn't happen, you'll probably be scribbling down notes to yourself as you listen to the 13 tracks on here—16 if you count the bonus cuts. I found myself doing that exact same thing as I played it the first few times, especially after I realized this was serious headphones music. What I mean is that if you want to fully immerse yourself in the album, snag some good cans to do so. I personally just grabbed a pair of SOL headphones at Verizon 'cause they were on sale and I haven't looked back. And once I heard "The Croatoa Koans" through them, everything started falling into place lyrically. It almost felt like a religious experience, floating across the gritty instrumentals with ATMA and SoS leading the way with there spirituality-tinged raps.

There are, of course, tracks that aren't as rich with insight that require your utmost attention. Take instant standout "Kamikaze Karma," for example, which is a blistering, horns-laden slab of bravado that would make any battle rapper blush. It doesn't hurt that ATMA and SoS trade bars like they've been doing this together for decades. That remains true even when they throw another voice into the mix. The sole guest outside of the sample-based interludes is U.K. rapper Lone Ninja from NYC, who seamlessly fits into the murky vibe of "Twelve Meridians."

Speaking of samples, fans of the horror film this album is named after, 1990's "Jacob's Ladder," will be treated to reminders of its brilliance throughout. One of the bonus tracks, "Jakobz Ladder," actually utilizes these samples the most. It opens with the famous "This is barbaric!" scene and then bursts into an all-out banger from ATMA and SoS, who tag-team the monstrous beat with flawless deliveries. It's a bit of a shame this track wasn't able to fit into the context of the album, though it is admittedly a bit more boisterous than its counterparts.

To be fair to the producers involved with this album, you can absolutely throw it on at any point to simply zone out to. The head-nodding, dusty boom-bap beats across "The Croatoa Koans" are as organic sounding as they are gripping, particularly when you hear how well they fit the rhymes of ATMA and Son of Saturn. It also feels as if the entire recording process was done in a day's time, one track banged out after another until the project was completed. It's rare that an album can flow this naturally, but given the past work of these two rappers it's not surprising.

It is, however, refreshing. It's not often that you can hear such an engaging piece of work that demands, and more importantly maintains, your attention at a time when the hip-hop scene is so over-saturated. If you're looking for something new to truly sink your rap teeth into, look no further than "The Croatoa Koans."

Written By: Kevin Gannon

Album Review: DJ Format - Statement Of Intent (2012)

DJ Format -“Statement Of Intent”
(Project Blue Book Records)

It’s been nearly a decade since the release of UK vinyl junkie DJ Format’s 2003 debut album “Music For The Mature B-Boy” and seven years since its follow-up, 2005′s “If You Can’t Join ‘Em…Beat ‘Em”. Since then the Brighton-based producer’s presence on wax has been fairly limited, with Format becoming known more for his party-rocking live deejay sets and mixes than his own musical output. But, as its title suggests, with this third album the dedicated crate-digger returns to remind listeners of his capabilities behind the boards with what appears to be a renewed sense of vigour.

To these ears, “Statement Of Intent” showcases the work of a rejuvenated Format. It’s not that any of the tracks included here are a million miles away from the producer’s trademark mix of obscure samples, deft cuts and hand-picked underground lyricists, but there does seem to be a grittier, more aggressive feel to this project in places compared to Format’s past work, as if he really felt he had something to prove this time around (perhaps to himself more than others). If so, that sense of purpose and determination has definitely led to some positive results in the studio.

Having worked closely on previous releases with Canada’s Abdominal, this time around it’s Washington D.C.-raised Diggers With Gratitude emcee Sureshot La Rock who maintains a constant and welcome presence throughout “Statement Of Intent”. The opening title track finds the talented wordsmith giving props to some of the pair’s shared old-school influences, name-checking the likes of Melle Mel and Grandmaster Caz over expertly chopped beats and a variety of fast-moving samples. Whilst on the Levi 167-sampling “Dope Pusher”, La Rock peppers the track’s dense soundscape with cocky, larger-than-life boasts.

The relentless “Spaceship Earth” features Boston’s Edan travelling at magnificent speeds around the universe, dropping a rapid multi-syllable flow that would make Big Daddy Kane smile over rattling drums and whip-lashing psychedelic guitar (“Starting a colony deep in the galaxy must be the aim of astronomy, Crooked economy killing ecology”).

On the instrumental side, the dusty vibes, old-school chants and free-flowing funk of “Beyond Disco” (co-produced by The Simonsound) evokes the eclectic feel of mixes heard on Afrika Islam’s NY-based early-80s “Zulu Beat” radio show, whilst the brilliant “Battle Of The Planets” brings back memories of the electro era, with Format taking to the vocoder to issue dance-friendly instructions over rolling drums, melodic synths and space-age sound effects (“The whole galaxy is watching, This is a universal jam….Interplanetary b-boys I know you came to throw down”).

Another stand-out is the humorous “Remember…” which features Sureshot La Rock cleverly paying homage to the various females who’ve been immortalised on wax by the likes of Just-Ice, Stetsasonic and UTFO over dreamy chimes and mellow guitar (“The other day I took a stroll down memory lane, Erick and Parrish were makin’ dollars pimpin’ out Jane, You shoulda seen her kickin’ game, I tried not to stare but, It’s been twenty years with that Anita Baker haircut!”).

With further input from Mr. Lif, Phill Most Chill and The Nostalgia 77 Quintet, “Statement Of Intent” covers a lot of musical ground, from true-school breakbeat-driven anthems (“Live At The Place To Be”) to full-blown jazz (“The Long Goodbye”), but Format consistently hits the target regardless of where his musical inspiration is coming from.

In my opinion, “Statement Of Intent” contains DJ Format’s best work to date, mixing his experimental tendencies and love of Hip-Hop with a new sense of urgency and sonic vitality. As far as statements go, this particular one is hard to refute.

Ryan Proctor


Source: OldToTheNew