release date: Mar. 23, 2004
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,48]
producer: Madlib [aka Otis Jackson Jr.]
label: Stones Throw Records - nationality: USA
Track highlights: 3. "Meat Grinder" - 4. "Bistro" - 5. "Raid" (feat. M.E.D. aka Medaphoar) - 6. "America's Most Blunted" (feat. Quas) - 8. "Rainbows" - 9. "Curls" - 12. "Shadows of Tomorrow" (feat. Lord Quas) - 18. "Eye" (feat. Stacy Epps) - 21. "Great Day" - 22. "Rhinestone Cowboy"
[ full album playlist ]
Studio album debut by US duo Madvillain consisting of MF Doom [aka Daniel Dumile], English-born / American-residing hip hop recording artist, and producer and Madlib [aka Otis Jackson Jr.] American DJ, producer, multi-instrumentalist, and rapper.
Now, although, hip hop isn't my favourite genre, I came across this album after hearing about it in various contexts over the years. I do recall the album cover from around the time of its release simply because of its direct and confronting style tho' I had absolutely no idea of its content.
Stylistically, it represents a huge blend of styles and influences [perhaps most prominent: Wu-Tang Clan, Outkast and Nas], which has brought about the terms abstract hip hop, experimental hip hop and instrumental hip hop, and later on most likely helped in shaping the style of conscious hip hop. There are obvious elements of jazz and rock traits, but what seems more apparent is of course the resulting original loose sonic style formed by a significant use of samples and a more laid-back rapping style. There are no obvious hits on the album, which consists of 22 tracks, and of these only three are longer than 3 mins. Actually, its made up of many primarily short compositions that bring about themes and hooks one will recognise in others, so the overall sensation is that you listen to one thematic structure - not unlike the experience you have listening to traditional classical albums. As being an abstract hip hop album the lyrical side is a strange mixture of reasoning and babbling mysticism, but the vocal side, imho, serves more as another instrumental part to facilitate its musical force. I like it, it's gooood, and it does win over time.
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5, The Observer, Mojo 4 / 5, Rolling Stone 3,5 / 5 stars ]
