Gas - Gas 0095 (Original TC Review)

em:t/Microscopics: 1995/2008

(2013 Update:
I had to find out exactly what that Timestretch track properly sounded like, so using Mixcraft, I time-stretched the shit out of it! Turns out it's just some ambient drone, though I did notice the slower I got it, subtle tiny bleeps began revealing themselves. Oh, Mr. Jarvis, you and your fascination with all things infinitesimal.)


IN BRIEF: Soothing synths and experimental doodling.

Yep, this is an album by Gas, and it is a re-issue from the mid-90s, but before all you Wolfgang Voigt fans out there befuddle yourself over what’s going on here, allow me to clarify. The individual behind this particular Gas alias is Mat Jarvis, whom has continuously burbled in obscurity for years, known primarily only to the cultish fans of ambient techno label em:t. As such, fans of the well-known obscure Gas project might cynically think this lesser-known obscure Gas project is trying to gain some extra publicity by re-issuing this album at a time when interest in the well-known obscure Gas project has never been higher. Meanwhile, everyone else outside the ambient techno sphere of influence has read the previous sentence, wondered what this fool just said, and promptly clicked ‘Back’ on their web browser. Probably.

For those whose curiosity kept them on this page, Jarvis’ Gas (oh, the puns we could have…) falls into the more egg-headed variety of ambient techno. Don’t worry too much, though, as the sonic experimentalism associated with this style doesn’t grow too unbearable. In fact, Gas 0095 is quite quaint in execution.

The five main tracks - Experiments On Live Electricity, Microscopic, Earthshake, Mathematics And Electronics, and Discovery - all make use of simple drum programming, soothing backing pads, and bleepy supporting sounds, easily conjuring up the kinds of images one might associate with scientific endeavors. Meanwhile, the lead synths in these tunes tend to evoke a sense of wonder at the mysteries of the world around us – because they are subtle, though, it seems Jarvis is more intrigued by inner space rather than outer space. Well, actually, that may only be the case with the lovely Microscopic and delicate Disocvery, while Earthshake is more of a ‘club cut.’

As for the other two, their unwieldy lengthy names also reveal unwieldy lengthy tracks. Experiments… and Mathematics… both have some nice things working for them, but overall ramble too much. Mathematics… in particular really stumbles with its faux-funk leanings, never grabbing you in the same way the better cuts on this album do. It’s telling that the literal sonic *blip* that is Miniscule is more of a talking point than Mathematics…, in that it’s such a “what’s the point?” moment. I guess Jarvis figured it’d be ‘clever’ to make one of the shortest songs in existence, lasting a fraction of a second. Hnn, perhaps it’s quirky in showing how remarkably acute our audio perception can be to even hear something like that, but indeed, “what’s the point?”

There isn’t much to talk about with the rest of the sonic doodles comprising Gas 0095. Earthloop is about the closest thing coming to a fully-fledged song, with blissful ambient loops and soothing meditative sounds comprising the bulk of it. There’s another “why?” sonic experiment in Timestretch (a four-and-a-half minute long song compressed into one second), and other brief weird bits that sound like they could be the backing soundtrack to a science documentary. These are all skippable for the most part, although they last so short you’d probably barely notice them during a play-through.

Was this album worth re-issuing then? Of course, silly. It’s always good to have old collections of music made available again, even if it only interests a select few out there. The better question to ask is whether this particular re-issue is worth the attention of you, the casual consumer. Microscopic is definitely a keeper, while Earthshake, Earthloop, and even Experiments… should warrant your attention if you fancy ambient techno from the mid-90s. However, Gas 0095 is far from a necessary pick-up, as there’s plenty of other similar releases from that time which hold up better. Jarvis’ project does have moments of unique charm, but not enough to draw in those who prefer their ambient techno with much less experimentation.

Nine Inch Nails - The Fragile

Nothing Records: 1999

This doesn't feel right. For those singles, sure, no problem. Remix EPs? Ain't no thang. Even a critically hailed album in The Downward Spiral? Relatively straight-forward, as I'd heard most of the big tunes off that one at one time or another, not to mention all the positive press its received several years after-the-fact made it easy figuring out what to expect and enjoy.

The Fragile is an entirely different case though. As Trent Reznor's third proper Nine Inch Nails album, an absurd amount of expectation was weighed upon it. Not only were folks wondering if he’d maintain his creative momentum, but might he even rescue industrial-rock from the doldrums the genre was suffering? Let’s be honest here: that scene had turned passé as nu-metal’d risen to prominence in the late ‘90s, nor was it done any favours by goofball hits like Rob Zombie’s Dragula. If ever there was a time to re-establish industrial within the public conscious as music with creative ingenuity and passion, that time was now (er, then).

Since all most remember from alternative rock at the turn of the century are bands like Limp Bizkit and Creed, it’s safe to say The Fragile failed to make the impact many hoped it could. To be fair to Reznor though, he may never have intended the album to generate such acclaim. It’s always a dubious endeavour for rock musicians to attempt the double-LP, critics ready to pounce with claims of hubris overshadowing talent. Still, Reznor had built up a decade’s worth of good will, thus The Fragile garnered plaudits for ambition, if not sales numbers.

So here's my conundrum: this album's been regarded as something of an 'art rock' experience, one that won't reveal itself with immediate catchiness, but with subtleties to be enjoyed after repeated listens - and I'm sure I will after a few more plays; hard, thrashing rock and oozing, ambient experimentation definitely makes this one enjoyed in a proper play-through. Unfortunately, due to my ridiculous self-imposed constraints, I don't get repeated plays to provide an in-depth analysis of The Fragile, merely what a couple quick listens offer mere days after I've removed the shrink-wrap. So... essentially how most enjoyed the album that first week it hit the streets.

And...? It's a good album, with subtleties I'll enjoy after repeated listen, but lacking those instantly memorable tunes one could still expect on a Nine Inch Nails release. No Closer, Wish, even Perfect Drug (the stop-gap single released a couple years prior). For sure, good songs abound on The Fragile, but they feel more as a part of a greater whole, whereas tunes off The Downward Spiral could stand alone just as well.

Yes indeed, it’s unfair that I must write a review of The Fragile without ample time to properly digest its contents. Oh well, I’m sure there’s exhaustively in-depth reviews of it floating out in interwebland. I’ll just leave off with the confirmation that, yes, it’s a worthy addition to the Nine Inch Nails legacy.

DJ 3000 - Galactic Caravan (2013 Update)

Motech: 2009

(Click here to read my original TranceCritic review.)

Man, was I ever at the end of my wick when I wrote that review three years ago. It’s barely longer than what I impose upon myself now. I’d basically given up even trying to review new material by that point, so it’s surprising Galactic Caravan caught my attention enough to manage such a comparatively short review for TranceCritic by my standards. Guess hearing strong, straight-forward tech-house was such a breath of fresh air back then, I felt the album deserved whatever props it could get, even if on a soon-to-be-dead website.

Sadly, in writing such an unintentionally short review, I left out some other tidbits of info (or I just couldn’t be bothered to research further). For instance, the name DJ 3000 itself. Did you know that Frank Juncaj took the name from a Simpsons episode, the one where those idiot radio DJs who refuse to give Bart an elephant prize are threatened to be replaced by a similarly named machine. The DJ 3000 was such a technologically advanced contraption that it could reproduce any and all necessary inane jock-talk. Then again, maybe Mr. Juncaj just came up with it on the fly, but it was funny noticing it when I recently watched that episode again.

Another thing I’m surprised I neglected to mention was how the tracks on Galactic Caravan at times remind me of good ol’ Banco de Gaia, what with that bouncy, Middle Eastern vibe running through. Obviously not exactly alike, but enough that a namedrop wouldn’t have been out of place for yours truly, despite Marks and Juncaj being of totally disparate scenes. Festival hippies and Detroit head-bobbers, all joined in unison under one tent. Yeah, that’d be a kick-ass show. Talvin Singh can open.

That’s all I got. Yeah, nothing revolutionary or insightful to be found with this 2013 Update. Ain’t a whole lot more I can add, except the perfunctory “why this no more well-known?” complaint for ethnic-fusion tech-house. Juncaj hasn’t released any DJ 3000 follow-ups to Galactic Caravan in the LP form, though a smattering of singles came out on start-up label Contuse last year; compared to the blistering rate of mid-‘00s Motech material though, it’s almost as though ol’ Frank’s decided stepping back from the hustle of underground music business was a wiser course of action. Shame if he’d think thus, as he’s got a solid, unique sound that still has untapped potential.

Look, I know I’m rambling at this point. Too many morning shifts have rendered my sleeping habits utterly wonk, and while I can still muddle through half-decent reviews with fresh material (ooh, that Nine Inch Nails double-CD came in!), coming up with anything meaningful for a full 2013 Update on such a recent-but-unknown release is nigh impossible. I actually initially fooled myself into thinking I’d get away with a simple two-paragraph blurb, forgetting I’d written and uploaded a proper(ish) review here back when. Have I reached my quota yet? Close enough.

Aquila - Gain Control

Dacru Records: 2009

Moan and groan, I thought I was done with this stuff. I had my fill covering it for TranceCritic, occasionally an incredibly solid album still crosses my way, but this? I’m actually surprised it’s still being peddled, at least at this standard of quality. I know some scenes and genres can recycle the same sounds and tropes for years on end, but this? Well, these chaps aren’t from Israel, so I guess there’s at least that.

If I’m doing all this moaning and groaning, then why do I even have Aquila’s debut (and only) album Gain Control? As with many things psy-trance based as of late, it was another recommendation at the always awesome ektoplazm.com, I think brought up during an online discussion over new full-on psy albums that weren’t bunk. What hurt is there in downloading a free album, right? If it’s not all that good, it’ll either get deleted or simply forgotten to the nether-realm of the harddrive. Unless, of course, I engage in a dedicated, sequenced re-listen of everything I have. Such foolishness.

Aquila, a three-piece psy act, are based out of Belgium, but if you were to go by their sound, you’d swear it was just another Israeli full-on project from the mid-‘00s. This was released in 2009, however, which actually shocked me when I went to Lord Discogs to double check. To be blunt as a brick, Gain Control sounds exactly like the generic material released on some of those Trancelucent compilations I reviewed way back eight years ago. I dunno, maybe these were tracks Aquila’d been sitting on for a while, and simply gathered them up a few years after the fact when they finally properly released a full-length, but I’m not finding any info to suggest otherwise.

I suppose what’s troubling me here is it’s not like Aquila’s material is awful - it’s simply more of the same, and full-on can sound incredibly tired even after the smallest amount of it. Listening to Gain Control has actually made me come to appreciate The Misted Muppet’s From The Legend even more now, just for how much different it stands out from typical full-on psy. This one, though? I’m at a loss to remember specifics. There are a few tracks that would sound great while being played out at a forest party underneath the summer stars (heck, even did while taking a midnight stroll to the corner shop for a late night energy drink), but nothing I’m anxious to throw on again anytime soon.

Somehow, I suspect had Gain Control been some of my earliest exposure to full-on psy, I’d be more lenient of it, maybe even give it a thumbs up on par with the mid-‘00s material I still occasionally enjoy. As it stands though, I'm just disappoint, son, moreso with Ektoplazm for rating this than my own folly. You'd think a website so immersed in the psy scene would have fresher sounding full-on to recommend when called upon.

Various - Future Trance Trax: A Time Traveling Experience

Hypnotic: 1995

Not to be confused with the still running (!) Future Trance series released by Polystar, this is Future Trance Trax, as released by Hypnotic in the mid-‘90s. There wasn’t any idea on Hypnotic’s part to suggest this was the future sound of trance, just a simple, silly unique title they’d slap on nearly every release of theirs: Trance In Time, Travelling In Trance, Trance Of The Gods, etc. What this compilation specifically showcases is music from Outloud Records, a sort of Danish version of Suck Me Plasma.

That in mind, it’d be quick to assume the music on hand shares the same hard German trance style that Talla 2XLC’s label enjoyed pushing in those days. This stuff’s a little different though, almost a smoother take on the sound. A… ‘future’ take? Hah, no. Whereas German trance tended to sound epic and spacey, these cuts feel more grounded, a sense of the mysterious lurking within forested shadows; or maybe it’s that damned Will O’ The Wisp track near the end making me feel that.

So some quick particulars. Audio Science is here with their moody acid Monsoon, an interesting track in how it starts as a slow groover before erupting into a brisk pace - just like a monsoon, eh, eh? Beyond Reality is also here with two tracks: Mind Runner and Semi - Analogue. The former was the duo’s biggest hit (okay, only hit), but we’re treated to the calmer Love Mix as the compilation’s closer. Semi - Analogue’s an okay opener, though rather odd seeing as how it was the b-side to Mind Runner. Another act by the name of Giez was a regular contributor to latter-era Hypnotic, but their track here, I'm A Hero, is silly. Mind, that's probably just personal bias disliking actual lyrics on my trance compilations – dammit, that's why I left euro-dance back in the day.

Future Trance Trax also features a few exclusives, though little that I’d figure critical to own unless you’re a classic trance completist. I’m also not sure if they were exclusive to Hypnotic or Outloud, but I’ll assume the latter, if only because Torben Schmidt (yet another multi-alias man, most famous for the duo Aqualite) appears to be the chap behind most of them, and he ain’t an L.A. boy. Anyhow, most of these one-offs are okay, invoking that ‘mystical trance’ vibe I mentioned earlier. Like… ‘fairy and unicorn’ trance? Good God, no, though few are hilariously under produced and come off as euro-dance instrumentals.

And that's all for this one. Hypnotic released better compilations in its heyday, but quite a few weak-ass ones afterward too (many licensed from Outloud no less, when they went down a drab hard acid road). Future Trance Trax is about as middle-of-the-road as Hypnotic trance compilations could get. Which means, of course, that is was a classic back in the day! Oh yes, many a drunken house party was spent flailing to Challenge’s In The Shock with a single strobe light. It’s all we had.

Nine Inch Nails - Further Down The Spiral

Nothing Records: 1995

I swear I never intended to get such a crash-course in Nine Inch Nails’ peak years. I figured it’d come as a slow, gradual process, assimilating Reznor’s music at a comfortable pace of my own volition. Oh so fool hardy of me to think thus. It’s almost as though ol’ Trent intended to release so much material within such a narrow alphabetical range, such that should anyone attempt to listen through their music collections in that order, they’d be forced to go through Nine Inch Nails discography almost all at once. It even makes me want to pick up The Fragile now, just to complete the process. Oh what the hell, I may as well.

Until that shows up, however, here we get the remix EP to The Downward Spiral, Further Down The Spiral. I’m not sure why it’s considered an EP though, as its runtime easily makes this a proper full-length remix album. And like all Nine Inch Nails remix projects, an attempt at creative a cohesive listening experience is repeated, a small collection of artists and producers called upon for all eleven tracks.

Returning from the Fixed remix project are industry icons Coil and J.G. Thirlwell (most well known as Foetus). Coil’s trippy, psychedelic take on The Downward Spiral actually ends up sounding like something The Orb was producing in those days (which may have contributed to Dr. Patterson getting tapped for a remix on The Perfect Drug a couple years later), while three different version of Erased play more to Coil’s twisted sense of choking soundscapes (the short Polite version notwithstanding). Meanwhile, Mr. Thirlwell gets his hands on Mr. Self Destruct, and brings the thrashing original closer to a proper industrial work; good for what it is, but his remix for Wish still ranks as his best.

Reznor adds a little distortion to Hurt, and studio associates Brian Pollack and Sean Beaven turn Self Destruction more clubby. Let’s face it though, the real draw of Further Down The Spiral is the special guest producer on hand. That’s right, let’s give it up for Rick Rubin! He gets to work with Piggy, where-

Eh? What do you mean there’s another special guest providing a remix? No he isn’t. Oh, he was approached to do so - guess someone in Reznor’s camp (Trent himself?) noticed that oddball Aphex Twin chap shared a similar noisy aesthetic, and thought he’d make for a welcome addition to the Further project. Turns out, however, Richard D. James couldn’t be bothered to even listen to the original track to remix, and simply sent some unreleased material instead (legend purports he initially used the excuse of “sped up entire song to use as a snare” to get away with it).

So you ended up with a Nine Inch Nails remix album, plus two new Aphex Twin tunes (both of which skew closer to his drill’n’bass period). Guess Futher Down The Spiral becomes essential purchasing if you’re a completist of either act.

Del Tha Funkee Homosapien - Funk Man (The Stimulus Package)

self-released:2009

While folks have been waiting for a new Deltron forever now (a… torturous… wait…), in the long meanwhile, ol’ Del kept himself busy, mostly concentrating on solo material over the past decade. I kind of ragged on him with that Hieroglyphics album, but following a little downtime after it, he seemed to find his form again, if not repeat the brilliant creativity that marked his turn-of-the-century output (not sure anyone could though). In 2008, he finally released a proper follow-up to his 2000 album Both Sides Of The Brain, Eleventh Hour, a relatively light-hearted romp that recalled many of Del's sillier moments on prior releases. As it didn't really show signs of musical growth, it was a small disappointment for folks hoping he'd come back with more fire. Still, they couldn't argue Del had lost his touch, as that album delivered exactly what you'd expect from a Funkee Homosapien full-length.

This Funk Man album was a quick follow-up to Eleventh Hour, a sort of yang to that one's yin. Whereas the former showed off Del's playful side, this one's a showcase of his battle-rap skills, a field he's just as adept at as his off-kilter material. If you've been hankering for a return to his pissed-off No Need For Alarm era, this is about as close as it's come. To be fair, Del ain't sayin' nothing we haven't heard from 'underground conscious' rappers for years now, but he does it in such a flamboyant, cutting style that you can't help but sit up and take notice.

As the title suggests, Funk Man has a running theme of Tha Funkee Homosapien being the funkiest character around, going so far as to use the unfortunate “I'm stank, so I'm dope” trope …or something. Frankly, a track titled I'm Smellin' Myself should bomb, especially so when the lyrics contained are about as eyebrow rising as you'd suspect. Somehow though, Del pulls it off, but only just, my friends, only just.

Lyricism was never going to be a weak spot on a Del album anyway, but unfortunately the beats aren't quite up to snuff as prior albums. As everything's self-produced, the music tends to run through serviceable loops, mostly funky beats and the like. Del's an alright producer, but when he's had the likes of George Clinton, Prince Paul, and Dan The Automator providing the tunes, Funk Man can't help but come off a weaker offering in Del's discography.

So if that's the case, why should anyone but devout fans even bother with Funk Man? Well, how's about it being a free download sound to tempt you? Yep, there was no official release with this one, though it was added as a bonus disc to the 2011 album Golden Era. While I wouldn't recommend Funk Man as a starting point for Del's work, there's no reason to not check it out if you're at least a passing fan. Or if you need a Funkee Homosapien fix while waiting for the next Deltron album.

AK1200 - Fully Automatic

Moonshine Records: 1998

The late ‘90s were a great time for Moonshine Records, releasing several DJ mixes across several genres at a blistering rate. Though they first foraged a path into drum ‘n’ bass’, erm, jungle with the likes of Aphrodite and Doc Scott, a trifecta of other DJs carried them through the turn of the millennium: Dieselboy, DJ Dara, and Dave Minner, aka: AK1200. The former two had already established careers when they signed to Moonshine, but ol’ Dave was a relatively unknown entity when it came to commercial CDs. This here Fully Automatic was his first such release, and seeing as how he became a staple for Moonshine, he must have knocked out of the park, right?

Well, this was a popular disc among my circle of friends, so there’s that. In fact, it was so popular, that two of us had picked it up! Hey, this is a bigger deal than you’d think. Out in the hinterlands, only one person would purchase any particular CD (usually on a trip to Vancouver), and if anyone else liked it, they’d burn a copy. Thus, it was incredibly rare for two proper hard copies of a DJ mix CD to be floating around, but there was for Fully Automatic. Part of it too was, around the time, everyone in our crew was discovering just how awesome jungle was. Of course, we were mostly introduced to it through jump-up (always with the cheese), but from there we’d all snag whatever we could from whatever DJs were available: Grooverider, Bukem, Dara… Basically, it was a likely eventuality someone would get Fully Automatic, as I don’t think there was a single jungle DJ mix released in those years that one of us didn’t have. Geez, is this ever turning into Anecdote Alley. I’ll stop now.

So, AK1200. Fully Automatic. It’s a jungle mix CD, mostly finding a meeting point between tech-step and darkstep. There’s also a little jump-up, Photek-era drum-funk (?) and even neurofunk in its earliest forms. Plenty of sci-fi soundscapes too, though touches of hip-hop and jazz crop up as well. All this sounds like a mess of a tracklist, but ol’ Dave pulls it together for the most part. There are abrupt changes, for sure, but the set’s flow never flies off the rails. Most of the mixes are quick cuts and little clashing occurs. AK1200 even throws in a few extra tricks with the crossfader and scratching, though nothing most DJs couldn’t do with a little practice (to be honest, it comes off a bit amateurish after just listening to two CDs worth of DJ Premier scratching).

Damn, I spent more time reminiscing about Fully Automatic than actually reviewing the bloody thing. Well, it’s not like it’s an exceptional CD, but solid enough should you have a couple bones to spare at the used shop. As with so much music though, the memories associated with it can make it a larger deal than it actually is.

Gang Starr - Full Clip:A Decade Of Gang Starr

Virgin Records America, Inc: 1999

This double-disc collection of Gang Starr material opens with a live ‘rest in peace’ call-and-response recording for the then-recently deceased rapper Big L, a once rising star in the New York scene. Though Full Clip was released over ten years prior to Guru’s own death, I have to say it’s somewhat eerie hearing such a shout-out in the here and now. Like, as though the specter of death continued to lurk in the shadows. Waiting... Waiting...

Anyhow.

Gang Starr was comprised of producer DJ Premier and emcee Guru, and were one of the longest-running successful acts within hip-hop that comprised of just those two elements, neither overshadowing the other. Often it’s the microphone handlers that get all the attention; or a DJ will strike out on his own to become a top-grade turntablist; or the producer’s craft behind the mixing boards turns him into a hot commodity within the scene at large. Gang Starr was all of this, a remarkable feat considering all the factors that should have held them back beyond their Golden Era breakout. The whole ‘DJ and MC’ dynamic was a bygone relic of the ‘80s, overrun by the emergent gangsta scene, yet somehow they kept going when many of their peers fell by the wayside. Did folks mistake them for a gangsta act as well, what with a name like Gang Starr? D’oh, of course not. It was all about respect.

First off, Guru’s smoky style of rap was as smooth as beatnik flow. He had no need for aggressive shouting or profanity-laced lyrics; his words are sharp and to the point. Whether taking other MCs to task, telling street life tales, or giving shout-outs to jazz, he comes across as a wise elder, someone you best pay attention to when he speaks, as you’ll undoubtedly learn something after. If only DJ Premier wasn’t always making such fine beats, I wouldn’t be accidentally zoning him out so frequently.

Therein lay Gang Starr’s other weapon: DJ Premier’s impeccable sense of sampling. While he likely wasn’t the first to pilfer jazz and funk records of New York City’s past, he definitely became synonymous with the sound, almost single-handily dictating how underground eastcoast hip-hop would sound for the ensuing decade. If you weren't lucky enough to get Premier's touch on your track, chances were you'd end up style-biting the smooth, jazz-loop form for credibility.

Or perhaps all that is just the impression this Full Clip two-CD retrospective wants to impart. I'll admit I haven't delved into Gang Starr's proper albums, in part because this one provides almost all that you could want from the duo in a nice, tidy package. Their classics are accounted for (Words I Manifest, Militia, Rep, Steez ...plenty more!), plus assorted guest spots and rare one-offs make this more comprehensive than the Mass Appeal best-of released in 2006. Of course, Gang Starr’s style, with their unapologetic old-school approach to hip-hop, may not be for everyone. Like, those who figure trap-rap the height of sophistication.

Hieroglyphics - Full Circle

Hiero Imperium: 2003

During the mid-'90s (yes, always with the '90s), the Hieroglyphics crew were gods among the backpack contingent of hip-hop fans. First to break out was that funkiest of homo sapiens, Del, soon followed by Souls Of Mischief (A-Plus, Opio, Phesto, and Tajai). When label conflicts halted all their momentum for a while, the posse eventually took matters into their own hands and began self-releasing material through their website. As the decade came to a close, the Hiero crew made a definitive statement with 3rd Eye Vision, an instant classic among underground heads. The group's proper LP debut showcased everything that made Hieroglyphics such darlings of that scene, with sharp lyricism in the form of solo freestyles and group raps, plus great production that built upon the Golden Era's fun, free-wheelin' vibes. For those tired of mainstream rap's glamour and gangsterisms, it was a breath of fresh air.

Then the group went silent.

Oh, individually, their careers carried on successfully (especially so Del's), but as a posse, Hieroglyphics seemed to turn more wayward from each other with every passing year. Dammit, can't let rumour mongering tarnish their legacy. Half a decade after 3rd Eye Vision, it came time to release a new full-length, make yet another definitive statement; silence the doubters and reclaim hip-hop back from the new growing popularity of bling and crunk.

Or not.

Truth is, rap collectives have a difficult time beating the sophomore slump, possibly more so than any other form of music. The fire that initially united a group almost always fizzles out (or, in the case of an act like Jurrasic 5, never flares as bright as their breakout). Plus, solo careers make things difficult in drawing everyone back, other commitments demanding their time.

This is definitely highlighted on Full Circle by Del's presence; or rather, his near lack of it. Whoever you felt was the strongest emcee of Hieroglyphics, there's no doubt Tha Funkee Homosapien was a driving force on many a Hiero cut. Here though, he barely shows up, and when he does he comes off sounding bored, as though he's got other things to do (Halo’s the only exception). Maybe it was simply a case of creative burnout after so many successful projects in the years between, but his lackadaisical raps hurt the album.

But a crew doesn’t die just because one member ain’t on his A-game. Sadly, this feeling permeates throughout the album. Nothing comes across as outright awful (except that ridiculous Jingle Jangle cut), yet there’s something lacking on Full Circle. Steve ‘Flash’ Juan of rapreview.com called it missing ‘dopeness’, and I can’t think of a better term for it. Those moments that make you skip back to hear a track or verse again - filled on so many Hiero projects - just don’t exist on Full Circle. For the most part, it’s an album that sounds fine as it’s playing, but is easily forgotten once finished, with little incentive to replay any time soon.