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| tracklisting |
| 1. Can You Stand The Reign? (Intro) feat. Slick, Rose |
| 2. Introducing |
| 3. The Reign Begins |
| 4. 97 Forcast (Skit) |
| 5. Bullitt |
| 6. Testiomonial |
| 7. Eyeam feat. Werd Da A.O.S. |
| 8. Out Of The Box |
| 9. That's What I'm Talking About |
| 10. 2 Much |
| 11. Wundaluv |
| 12. Dedicated |
| 13. What's The Purpose |
| 14. Not Bad |
| 15. We Rock Mics!! |
| 16. Don't U Do Itahh |
| 17. Spinacapita feat. Minaminagoodsong |
| 18. Exit |
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| Hailing from Atlanta, Binkis first gained (comparatively) widespread recognition when Bobbito Garcia chose their "Beat You In The Head" track to sum up the ethic of the legendary and now defunct Fondle 'Em Recordings label on the "Farewell Fondle 'Em" tribute.
Not only did that mean they were endorsed by one of Hip Hop's most respected B-Boys (Binkis later put out 12"s on Bobbito's Fruitmeat Records as well); it also meant they were lined up next to a number of classic artists and songs from the late-90s heyday of independent Hip Hop. From their inception
into the limelight, Binkis have had some big shoes to fill, but it seems they have no intention of letting anyone down… |
| The trio of Jax, FluxDaWundabat and Killa Kalm let a silky female vocal thank the listener for pressing play before they step up on "Introducing" and the reign really begins to begin. "Introducing"
offers a fine example of Jax' production as it's a beat crafted from a sweet formula of melody and simplicity which allows the crew's lyrics to flow above it uninterrupted. And that's exactly what happens. A few tracks later, "Bullitt" bursts
out the speakers with a gunshot and a sample from the score of McQueen's classic film, and while you're wondering how it is that the sample's never been so prevalently used before, you can't help but realise that Jax' production flips it perfectly, and Binkis probably sound better over it than anyone
else ever would. |
| From the get-go, "The Reign Begins" makes it abundantly clear that creativity and fun are central to the Binkis Recs aesthetic. So, for the most part, the tracks on the album remain upbeat, and the trio's lyrics manage to twist together narratives, repping and abstract
contemplation without ever losing that distinctly Binkis feel. That being said, one of the album's finest moments is "Testiomonial", on which the crew momentarily exchange their humour for an air of melancholic seriousness over a string sample
which somehow slips into a Phil Collins vocal before the close. |
| In a musical genre where too many artists take themselves too seriously, few would feel comfortable making a track like "Out Of The Box", and even fewer would succeed in doing it so well. Jon Doe's production suits the Binkis
vibe perfectly, and the simple hook offers the most concise definition of what the Binkis reign is all about. Other standouts range from the funky groove of "That's What I'm Talking About" to the comical (if a little curious) "Don't U Do
Itahh", which discusses the wonders of internet porn, among other things. |
| Becoming critical for one brief moment, the Binkis crew lose their way a little on a couple of the less catchy of Jax' beats: "Eyeam" is potentially skippable, and "Not Bad" - which comes later - is (ironically) probably only as good as its title
would suggest. The one other thing that might be said about "The Reign Begins" is that it runs a little long; the exclusion of two or three of the weaker tracks would have made the overall impact of the album even greater. |
| But it's hard to hold anything against these three ATL cats for very long. "The Reign Begins" is a musically good and utterly enjoyable album that sees Jax, Flux and Killa Kalm rise to meet the high expectations their coveted introduction raised. And it establishes them
as the purveyors of a fun vision that's so original and individual that they had to make up their own word to describe it. BINKIS is out of the box, yo. |
| review: cornerstone |
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