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Black Grass Black Grass Released in 2003 5.1/10 Styles Hip Hop Electronica Trip Hop Song Highlights Easy Toys The Hidden Track |
Black Grass is the Brighton based duo of Carl, a DJ, and Mex, a hip hop fanatic. Their self titled debut, released in the UK last year, is their first attempt at combining the two genres. Both artists are skilled in their individual fields, and they sound great when they manage to achieve a single, unified sound. The lead single "Easy" is one such track, with its pulsating beats and sampling complementing the rapped vocals perfetly. The hybrid of styles is very entertaining and even quite facsinating, so it's disappointing to find that it very rarely happens. The electronica and hip hop elements are actually kept separate for the most part, resulting in the album being split down the middle. In addition to Mex, vocal duties on the hip hop tracks are taken on by a variety of guests - Blak Twang, Ra Khahn, Supa TC Iz, Maylay Sparks and Mango Seed. Barring "Easy," there's little in this half of the album worth praising, as it's all quite formulaic. The tracks are enjoyable enough, but don't expect anything particularly original. The remainder of the album consists of nightclub-friendly dance tracks. The beats are mostly drum 'n' bass and trip hop, complimented by layers of strings, piano and jazz sections. The songs are quite catchy and great to dance to, but there's not much more to them. Other than the mesmerising closer "Toys" and the glitchy hidden track that follows, these songs don't really hold much interest if you'd just prefer to sit and listen. The decision not to blend hip hop with electronica more often makes it feel as though the album's full potential is never quite met. Flawed but promising, Black Grass is hopefully a sign of better things to come. |