Cannibal Ox, Cold Vein (Def Jux) 9+
Considering how hip hop started on the vanguard of electro, sampling Kraftwerk before the majority of mainstream America had ever heard them, it's surprising how slow it's been to incorporate electronica into its palate. While a good number of indie-label rap acts have initiated experiments of sounds pioneered by (Radiohead favorites) Autechre on the Rapid Transit compilation, Harlem-based Cannibal Ox (Vordul Megilah and Vast Aire) have taken the reigns and forged ahead with the full-length Cold Vein, under the guidance of Company Flow's El-P, founder of the fiercely independent Def Jux label. Can Ox takes Dr. Octagon's post-apocalyptic world view and drags it into the sewer ducts with distorted, squalling samples and stuttering beats that sound like jackhammers on dead carcasses. This is not easy listening. It's hip hop noir at its most brutal and dystopic. Yet the rich images conjured by the slashing rhymes and gritty otherworldly samples are inspired. The sonic wreckage and claustrophobia ease up on the last two tracks. "Pigeon" is practically sing-songey in comparison, while the untitled final track features a wavering rhythm that recalls Tricky's Maxingquaye, and an ominous chorus straight out of The Omen. Hear the prophecy at your own risk.
