Album Review

Elementalists – Crazed Maniac

• 11th Apr 2008

I know what you’re thinking…’Crazed Maniac’ by the Elementalists…oh, no; I don’t know what you’re thinking after all! Anyhoo, I’ll try to give you some kinda heads up towards what they call their ‘prog-hop’ sound shall I?

‘Talk to the Hand’ sounds like Cypress Hill have written the perfect track for that too long overdue collaboration between KRS1 and Gorillaz. Its intro is something of a messed up ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ too! ‘Bad Times’ follows something of a more traditional sound and its keys driven resemblance to ‘Superstition’ certainly does it no harm at all. It’s what I call pussycat music (slinking along a moonlit fence at 3 am). The guitar, percussion and well, in fact all the components get their righteous glory time in the spotlight along the way… less fun than its predecessor but every bit as kickass.

‘Rotten Majority’ stumbles upon Sonic Boom Six territory, upholding a groove driven ‘ragga dubba doo’ diligence throughout its defiant sounding, sample rich and perhaps dare I say, too lengthy self. Now, as far as title tracks go, this one does more than earn its spot as the EPs focal point. Along with the synth’ borne backing vocals what’re spat out here and there, the stabbing guitar too serves well to break up the exquisite ferocity of an unrelenting rap. And then (in a good way) it all goes a bit sideways, or perhaps more appropriately, skyways. If we carry on like this we’re gonna end up treading on System of a Downs early career toes! But we don’t!

‘Pills’ is something of generic jam styled track with an accessible vocal. The midway breakdown consists of some great percussion riding rap that leads us back unto the jam, though the funk factor has stepped it up somewhat now. Hot damn! I just wanna get my outrageous George Clinton sunglasses and swim around my lounge. ‘Word to the Wise’ lovingly stuffs itself in your face and uses its catchy chorus to cling there and gives you a funky shakedown that sometimes astonishingly sounds like a ghetto borne Richard Cheese covering RATMs ‘Bulls on Parade’. Really!

Closing deep down and dirty on ‘Reel 68’, a dizzying amalgamation of Rakim and Ray Manzarek sounds serve up a helluva finale…wow I need a brew! Fans of fine instrumentation and radical rhyming amidst dynamic funk driven mayhem (you know who you are) should at least check out this blistering EP. Right, I’m off for a swim!