Antipop Consortium - Arrhythmia

by Maarten Schiethart

published: 12 / 4 / 2002

Label: Warp Records
Format: CD

"Impressive" avant-garde hip hop on the Warp label from AntiPop Consorium, who were recently asked by Radiohead to support them on a European tour

Review

AntiPop Consortium's follow-up to the dope and drills of 'Tragic Epilogue' (on 75Ark) is the next step into hiphop territory for Warp, a label that seems entangled by pseudo experimental noodlings. Before the release of 'Profuse 73' it seemed like ages since a release on Warp had borne so much meaning. And just a few months after this Antipop Consortium deliver their goods. Enough of my rant ! Antipop Consortium - Sayyid, Beans and High Priest with production skills from E Blaize - represent the avant-garde of hiphop. Hence the title 'Arrhythmia', which has beats that befit the law of figures. 'Mega' is the prime example of the maths in this music. Hopping along at a pretty even pace, on 'Silver Heat' there is the mention of "experiments like lariats", and then continuing with lines like "it's just as impractical as masculinity for drag queens" Anti Pop Consortium, and particulary Beans - at times he sounds like Homer Simpson - bring on a logic that has a dry wit too. 'Arrhythmia' sums up in its lyrics the order of modern day's society's long list of shame, but the album throws a party of which even the most imaginative art faggot would probably never fancy could be done. 'EKG' (the cardiac display to you medically deprived) is a nicely pounding interlude that leads into the fantastic 'Ghostlawns'. Projecting absurdity on to sparse beats , Kill Soap Scum' bonds streetlife with Startrek sillyness. 'Human Shield' closes off this impressive album, which is definitely one of this year's best

Track Listing:-

1 Contraption
2 Bubblz
3 Ping Pong
4 Dead In Motion
5 Mega
6 Silver Heat
7 Ekg
8 Ghostlawns
9 We Kill Soap Scum
10 Z St
11 Traumm
12 Tron Man Speaks
13 Focused
14 Conspiracy of Myth
15 Human Shield
16 Place The Face