CD Review: Modulok and Bare Beats – Two Cities
September 11th, 2008 Filed under: Made In Canada, Reviews - Music by admin 
CD Review: Modulok and Bare Beats
Two Cities
Urbnet
Having established himself as one of Canada’s grimiest underground MC’s with Red Ants’ “Omega Point”, Modulok expands his sonic palate with this unique and moving collaboration with UK producer Bare Beats. With Beats’ melancholy Boom Bap complemented by tasteful scratching courtesy of Jabba Tha Kut, Modulok traverses his usual stomping grounds of battle rap, apocalyptic visions and introspective musings.
“Intro” features Wireless throwing down some street level beat boxing for Modulok’s evocative flow, leading into Bare Beats’ jazzy vibes on “Happiness” and “City”. “Trouble” teams Modulok with grimy UK MC’s Perry Scaramanga, Kal Sereousz and Smokey waxing paranoid poetics on the dangers of everyday living.
Standout track “Grimy” is an unexpectedly beautiful love song that any scumbag can relate to. “Taste” features Barracuda slaying the hipsters and tasteless masses in effortless cadence. “Stories” and “People” find Modulok in his other mode as existential realist, providing cautionary and just plain weird tales of the lost souls that inhabit his world. “Assassin” has him picturing a career move from rap to murder, in cinematic detail worthy of the GZA. “Origin” flows deep into the streams of the unconscious and the spiritual element that provides counterpoint to Modulok’s relentless machismo.
The diversity of these cuts in texture and subject matter make this the perfect album for serious concentration, and Modulok has definitely taken his signature style to another level with Bare Beats’ moody and distinctly UK feel. Another underground classic from one of Canada’s finest MC’s, devoid of filler and worthy of many repeated listens.
myspace.com/modulokandbeat
bare-records.co.uk
urbnetrecords.com
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