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| It's mostly the voice, Guru said. But you don't really wanna criticize Smooty for his voice, that while low, is not the best to rhyme. Especially as it sounds kinda changed, as if Smooty does this voice, rather than has this voice. But as he rhymes like this all the way through, chances
are that this is his voice. Therefore your intentions to criticize him for that immediately vanish, and you rather focus on what he says, rather than how he says it. |
| With there being two tracks that stand out the most: "Proletariats", produced by Smooty along with Definition's Ill Poetic, who put a nice horn into the back. This song criticizes W. Bush without holding back, suggesting
to him that he should suffocate on another pretzel, while the hook borrows the melody of Simon & Garfunkle's "Mrs. Robinson". What is actually something Smooty apparently likes to do, because on the second cut that stands out, "Betrayal Purge",
he does it again. But this time I couldn't remember what the song is, this structure originates from. This cut speaks on one person in particular, while the sleeve even names the person under 'xtra special thanks.' Smooty gets really harsh, what's backed by a chopped and broken beat, that sees the drum
fall apart into a drum'n'break rhythm. |
| But apart from these songs, Smooty struggle to really capture our attention. What in a way is a good thing, but in many ways a bad thing too. Bad, because if they would be excellent, they'd be memorable. Good, because if they'd suck badly, then that would be a magnet to our attention
also. But so it just mingles in the remotely interesting, but unimpressive. Like the posse cut "Nobody" with 13th Floor and Silent Assassin, that has many braggadocio aspects, but with the reflection and observation here and there. The thoughfulness
of "Natural Instincts" goes deep, but Ill Poetic shows that he can do a boring beat too. And lyrically "Soul Mates Temp Service" is strong with good visualization and love jones verses. The guitar also adds something. But still. This is solid, but not exciting. It's
also slow. And bare and severely underproduced, with a bass and drum leaving so much more room for something else, that's just not there. |
| That we partially find in the instrumental "Remnants (Divine Intermission)" though. It starts out good. But the needed baggage is unfortunately thrown overboard for the middle part. It nevertheless is probably the best production
on here. As opposed to the piano of "Vice City" by J Cro, that promises a lot. It kinda points in the direction of going bouncy, while then not committing to it. Same goes with Smooty's flow, that's still doing this growling voice. It seems however, that the melancholy rhymes and the
somewhat pushing beat remain outside of consideration. |
| With all of that resulting in a certain disinterest, that's lowered by the voice, and rarely raised by anything on the EP. Everything's too tame, too much without any risk taking, it's lacking personality and rather than really doing anything, it's content with just being. And so
it shows promise, but falls short to follow through. |
| review: tadah |
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