Shadow Huntaz – Dark Matter Review
Alright, lets get into the latest Shadow Huntaz album Dark Matter from the brothers funcken and lyricists the shadow huntaz. The first word is: When next level hip hop audio mutation from the Netherlands meets abstract flows from the United Empire the brew that’s served is a rich salve for mainstream wounds. An absolute must have drop from Porter Records for 2009, read on for my bullshit opinions, a full spread of the utterly superb album art by graphic wizard Menno Fokma and of course audio snippets of the exercise that’s in my cross hairs.
First of, Shadow Huntaz is a long standing collab between the deeply talented and diverse brothers Don and Roel Funcken from the Netherlands (who cover the production) and Breaff (Shadow 1), Dream (Shadow 2) and Non (Shadow 3) coming out of the states (who cover the flows). For this release the graphic presentation for the album was taken to a new level by bringing in Menno Fokma, motion designer from the Netherlands on OneSize. So lets start there, to set the mode…
Album Art
Label and Release Info
Label: Porter Records
Catalog#: PRCD -- 4029 (CD), PRLP -- 006 (LP)
Format: CD, 2x12″
Country: US
Released: 08 Sep 2009
Genre: Electronic, Hip Hop, Abstract, Experimental
Tracklisting with 30 second audio previews
(hit play on first and whole album will preview):
Then Again
Goodnite
Worship Devils
Dark Matter
The Flames
Implant
Alien Prophecies
Let Me Eat
Lock Stock & Barrel
Mysteries
Shout Louder
Shadow Statiz
Wrong Right
Brains
Stripez
Words
A big part of the joy I find in still purchasing physical copies of a release is the visual art accompaniment that goes with it -- and of course the knowledge that instead of just getting a digital file I have opted to get something made of toxic chemicals (that island of plastic in the Pacific Ocean is only twice the size of texas, far too small to effectively kill enough marine life for my tastes).
Once in while one of these toxic releases comes to my door with such sublime visual work adorning it that I treat it as a multimedia piece as opposed to just an audio rinse in said plastic. This is one such gem. Don’t get me wrong, I still love the albums were the musicians mug is filling 80% of the cover (we can sink into their eyes as we listen), or the artsy minimalist all black cover with a font that was worried over for 3 days by a bunch of mac geeks stating boldly: “I don’t give a fuck about graphics”. But with Dark Matter it is not so. Instead, we get a journey through some of the wildest visuals I’ve ever seen, exponentially amplifying the effect of the audio and definitely making the vinyl version even more tantalizing in its full 12″ squared glory. Its really worth it to go and see more of Menno’s work, so do so at some point, but I’m gonna get on to the audio now, which is still the reason we’re here. :P
Hopefully the audio is rolling as you read. Dark Matter kicks off with “Then Again”, an absolute steamroller off the bat priming the new album situation. D & R bring a whole new dimension to the SH sound with this album: bigger, darker, just evolved to the tenth. Murked symphonics ride waves of bass that drop with the weight of elephant steps. Over it all abstract flows push the bar through see-saw perspectives on the light and dark conundrum, a theme throughout the meditation. Next up “Goodnite” launches us into full tilt dark form funck I cant help but feel to the marrow. I am a funcken whore, and this track musically exemplifies why, once again.
“Worship Devils” gets some supreme glitch funk going and though i have absolutely no religious tendencies (belief is the death of intelligence, yadayada) I roll along for the ride through the perspectives offered in the flows with no resistance. “Dark Matter” is a broken form gem, the funckens reorganize hip hop formulas into grimy bitch slaps as wily as the “rabbits through carrots” referenced by the Shadowists. All told, this track is one of my favs of the album, and a worthy title track. That is my opinion, which is quite important, when you think about it.
“The Flames” is another big love from this new darkness. The beat is utter booty wigglin infectiousness, and though -- as i stated before -- my paradigm systems are on their own page, I say loud and clear: “Sign me on for that fight” :). Next up a beast stares at me from an inky blackness, “Implant” tattooed between his liquid eyes. Under his skin agitated pulses tear at the capillaries, something i notice in my peripherals as his broken frame shape-shifts around my field of view. Absolute monster.
“Alien Prophecies” is a beautiful example of the SH lyricism shining. I flip around the room with the verbals as they paint the walls with the unique. Serious props to the vocal crew on this one, absolutely feel it. You can catch the lyrics here. D & R’s heavy heavy beats are countered by brilliant top end squiggles and seal the deal to make this cut another bomb. “Let me Eat” gets us to take it easy and have some fun with the situation before kicking into the funck full steam with “Lock Stock & Barrel”. Now I’m gonna once again scream out to the Netherlands and say “Fuck Yeah”. Utter mastery of the sonology, what the hell, you dont feel it I dont want to know you.
“Mysteries” must be listened to on quality systems, there are worlds in that audio that seasoned folks will remember from their first overdose. Just when the darkness has cloaked in hard “Shout Louder” comes in with the tonic. Taking us back to neck snappin velvet and divine instrumentation that’s countered with poetry far beyond posturing and vain bullshit this track exemplifies the art of leftfield flow. “Shadow Statiz” is a straight up roller, well… As straight up as D & R are gonna let us have it. “Wrong Right” is just so beautiful, after all this challenging and intense work having this crowning the tail end I feel the whole session as not just some singular exercise but rather a full and cohesive experience, as all albums i really love manage to do for me. “Stripez” finishes up this release, and what a finish it is. D & R throw out some superb orchestral hits and slices bouncing off of cinched tight rhythms. Too much fun to be had listening to this… Stripez is another top fix for this reviewer, repeated injections are required.
So, to summarize, this is by far my favorite in the shadow huntaz palette. Been listening for a few days and cant get enough. Now, for mainstream accessibility, its obviously gonna be tough. But then again… For the love of god don’t quit what you’re doing guys, this is superb and spirited work, from all the camp, and I hope that soon more much deserved exposure comes for this project. Finish up by letting the vid for Wrong Right roll:
Places to Buy
CD:
LP:
