producer: scotty hard, set free

guests: sebstop, sensational, king cobra, sayyid, mr. dead, others.

The Wordsound label has always been one that was able to impress and confuse the creativity challenged, simple minded, commercial rope artists. And a good representative of this happy family of unconventional rhymers and beat constructers is Scotty Hard, who prepares the world for "The Return Of Kill Dog E". That Kill Dog E character, is a notorious O.G. gangbanger, whose very name was feared on the streets. He then disappeared, some say left his profession, but his reputation still had the streets shiver. Maybe just because the po-po has found three dice at the scene of seven recent murders: a four, a five, and a six, which is Kill Dog's calling card. They also found a Bic disposable razor. And E shaves his head with those. Well, that's the background of this album, and what the press release sheet says.

However: Scotty Hard, or Scott Harding is the brain behind this character. He's a engineer / producer / remixer, a Canadian native and part of New York's hip hop magic. He has worked with people like Kool Keith, Cypress Hill, Boogie Down Productions, the Wu, not to mention Vernon Reid and Björk. And together with fellow Wordsounder's (Sensational and Metabolics' Mr Dead), Wajah Mokk of the Deadly Snakes (see "Black Mask" O.S.T.), the Anti Pop Consortium (namely Sayyid and Priest), as well as a bunch of other folks that never were on a Roc-A-Fella industry party guestlist, he releases his debut album with this here.

Scotty must have force fed Sensational some tranquilizer, cause that must be one of the straightest verses he spits on "Pockets Fat", ever since he confused the world with his input to Jungle Brothers "J.Beez With The Remedy". He's still all about 'power moves' and does not leave out to give a friendly side kick to Bobby Digi.

On "Who Said (What)?", Scotty mixes a dramatic string section, with an equally cinematic piano, and puts a hard and coughing drum to it for good measure. While this is not as obscure as other tracks, it gives the street tales of King Cobra, Watah Mokk and Horus a background, that could be appreciated even by someone just used to Queensbridge rap. But he fades away of this easy to relate to effort, and delivers a instrumental called "Lurking In The Shadows". A paranoid collection of different sounds, namely a bass, guitar, drums and some soundeffects, this could be played in every jazz club performance, and not one purist would even consider to ask for a refund.

The obscureness continues with an abstract "Dark Blocks", the background for Sayyid's much hailed, here slowed down bragging and threatening. And in complete contrast "Days And Nights Of Wine And Roses" starts rather lovely, with then introducing a French accordion, another victim of Kill Dog E's insanity, and a horrified spoken contribution by Sebstop.

Fast forward "Muchas Olas (No Me Jodas)" if your Spanish is as good as your Swahili, cause you will not understand anything said on this interlude. But release the button in time to enjoy the blue lined drums of "Raw Nerves", the cranking sound effect, and the not focusing piano. And that should give you the right motivation for the Anti-Pop cut "Bubble In The Haze", complete with choir and lyrics that are like a fork bending mind power.

Maybe also fast forward the voice altered, guitar trashing "Spitting In The Eye Of The World", but once again, don't miss "Epilogue" that's coming right after that one. The aftermath sets in the form of strings, a cinematic composition of Mr. Dead's ranting, summing up the from different persons portrayed Kill Dog E: "he came, he destroyed, he reaped havoc, and vanish in to the darkness born as bad as he was and now is", to only give you a short glimpse of this.

Taking the elements of a 60s murder crime story, a pulp fiction murder crime novel, this lives up to the rawness promising title. Described as sludge hop, this gives you an artistic effort, as put together by challenging minds and people that are not ready to corrupt their creativeness. And while this all can be highly philosophical and intellectual, it doesn't necessarily has to. It just should sound good, right?