Music Reviews
Artist:
GalacticTitle:
‘From the Corner to the Block’Label:
Anti-Website:
http://www.galacticfunk.com
New Orleans has always been a musical city; the old Big Easy is best known for its brass bands, blues and jazz, and modern-day New Orleans for its hip hop induced bounce - Galactic somehow straddles both worlds. ‘From the Corner to the Block’ is a mix of bouncy beats, dry drum hooks, funk, and guitar powered hip hop.
The album acts almost as an audition to find an MC, in part to replace departed vocalist Theryl DeClouet. Digable Planet’s Ladybug, Mr Lif, and Quannum’s Lyrics Born all step up to the mic and easily earn their stripes, and, as always, the distinct sound of J5’s Charli 2na is instantly gratifying, this time laid down over some effects laden harmonicas on ‘Think Back’.
Apparently each MC was asked to bare a corner of their choice in mind when approaching the project - the group’s New Orleans hometown is full over evocative intersections we are told and it all represents the crossing of different musical paths. The hip-hop and funk routes are the most trodden here but the title track (featuring Juvenile) pushes a Latin feel and every now and then you get the faintest sense of guitarist Jeff Raine’s punk origins.
For the most part the beats sound like they could have been fashioned by Edan but instead production duties went to saxophonist Ben Ellman who’s penchant for a touch of feedback and distortion add a raw, edgy sound to the mix.
All in all a refreshing approach to hip-hop.
