Soul-Junk

Item: 1958
Author: Alex Klages

1958

(2003)

Reviewed by Alex Klages

Discogs Bandcamp Apple Music TIDAL Amazon Music Spotify YouTube Music

Label Sounds Are ActiveThe Phantom Tollbooth2003

electronic experimental hip hop

It seems that over the last few years the general trend in music has been for bands to become more and more predictable, to search for the styles that sell, and to stick to those styles. For this reason, small labels like Sounds Are Active and Sounds Familyre are valuable correctives to that general trend. It is doubtful that either label will ever release a million seller, but that isn't the point to these labels. They exist to release albums like Soul-Junk's latest, 1958.

Unquestionably weird, undeniably Christian, unparalleled in modern music, Soul-Junk does their free-jazz/hip-hop/indie rock thing, and they do it well. Far better than 1957, this album is far less predictable than the previous effort, but somehow more coherent. There is less emphasis on the MC's and more on the samples and effects, with the result that the listener isn't bored by yet another rant on how Spirit-filled the MC is but rather challenged to expand his or her thought horizons.

I suppose the easiest way to summarize what is happening on this album is that Soul-Junk is trying to be the world's greatest anti-pop band, but in so doing come dangerously close to being the next big thing, especially on tracks like "Autosmuddling" where Bizzart, labelmate of Soul-Junk, adds his distinctive rapping style to the first verse of a lovely mangled mash of samples and funky bass line which just begs for radio play. "Hogging All the Islands" with its calypso feel and steel drum sample has an almost-radio feel to it, as well. Guest players abound on this album, each of whom adds his own style to the blend.

However, most of the album is nowhere near as accessible as those particular tracks. Bits of Atari bloops and digital watch bleeps punctuate the sampled drumbeats, Galaxalag proves himself to be in the top form he first established on 1956, and Slo-Ro mixes things up every now and again to keep the proceedings from getting too repetitive.

Trying to quote lyrics from an album like this one is tricky, to say the least, as the lyrics seem to flow in a stream-of-consciousness pattern of association rather than fitting rhyme schemes, but suffice it to say that the album covers such topics as breaking through the complacency of being a nominal Christian, breaking through prejudice, open prayers to Jesus, and the like. This is an album designed to break down walls of musical boundaries, and, it seems, unnecessary mental and spiritual boundaries too.

This is not an album for the weak-hearted or those who prefer their music to be radio-friendly. However, it certainly could gain a favorable hearing in the college radio market where there are program directors with open ears and an open heart to new beats. While I can't pigeonhole the music, I also can't deny the addictive quality it holds, as each successive listening reveals new layers and textures to the mess. At this point it is impossible to predict what this group may do in the future, but whatever it is, it will be unique to Soul-Junk. And that's not a bad thing.

4 tocks