Too often we try and label music in one genre and subgenres, the moment we hear it we need to put it in a category. But what do we do when it doesn't fit into a nice and neat category? What do you do with an instrumental album that has interludes featuring vocals? What do you call hip hop that is soulful but has dark and dreary undertones? I can tell you what I do my best to do each time I hear some music...do not try and put it into a nice little package. Because if you do, when you come across an album like Ill Clinton's "The Antisocialist" you are going to get lost VERY quickly. You may remember Ill Clinton (aka Ill Vibe aka Vibe etc) from his album "Michael Jackson's Milk" with Ordeal on the vocals (check out my review here if you do not know it.) But do not expect the same beats, Ill Clinton is constantly tweaking his sound for each release while still staying true to his original concepts. So what exactly does his latest offering, "The Antisocialist" sound like. Well, it is a dark and dreary soulful instrumental hip hop album that keeps you on your toes. If that doesn't make sense to you (and even if it does) why not read ahead and see what I mean, here it goes.
Vocals cut short to create the feeling of someone screaming is the first sound you hear on "Long Days." The haunting piano chords do nothing to alleviate the dark and mysterious setting. But there is another sound that really make the track, almost sounds like a violin, but just one strum of the bow looped that plays in the background throughout the track. That is what really hits you in the gut and forces you to pay attention while not always noticing it is even there.
Extended piano chords lay the background for "Beating a Dead Horse," while over top of it plays a multitude of percussion instruments. The track begins with what I can only describe as a tin cup hitting against jail bars, but not in the standard ring we have all heard on TV, no this is more subtle and brooding, this is being playing out of frustration at the world, but then the heavy drums kick in like a boxer punching in a great combo that is always open, time and time again. Occasionally the boxer much catch his or her breath before returning, but the tin cup never stops, looming in the background, observing this demolition.
"I Was Guessing" has a much more soulful feel to it, featuring a VERY well known light and airy vocal that fits in extremely well with the 1-2-1 drums (that's what I call them, probably not an actual name but my blog so I can come up with names GO ME.) Again, Ill Clinton, keeps some strings playing in the background throughout to set the mood while sprinkling in some symbols to crash through the breezy beat.
Occasionally a title of a track implants an idea into your head that you cannot get out, that is what happened to me on "Wednesday Evening Sketch." I just kept imagining myself drawing along to the beat (I might have to do that and see what the picture becomes). It is actually so embedded that all I can really say is that the song features steady drums mixed with pianos and whatever instrument it is that is creating the sensation of a pen stroke on paper, harshly taking over the track for brief moments at a time.
Soft piano (that is reminiscent of many a horror movie) and crackling (that almost sounds like rainfall) are the dominant forces of "(Interlude) In the Nude." At least the track begins that way, about 10 seconds in vocal sample saying the title is looped throughout the track, with some occasional moments of silence from the vocalist.
"Quality Control (The Situation)" begins one of the many great Samuel Jackson quotes/rants from "Pulp Fiction" while in the background, you can faintly hear the sound of some keyboards. Just as Mr. Jackson stops speaking the drums kick in. When I saw drums I do mean multiple drums, the first being your standard hard hitting bass drum, the other consists of symbols and hi-hats that almost sound like a gun shot, but more echoey. "Pulp Fiction" returns for a brief spell before the instruments takes back over, the track ends with more Tarantino dialogue before the silence.
Pianos and an occasional drum are all that make up "Seamless" for the majority of the song. Now get to thinking this is a boring or predictable beat. It does feature the loop of the piano but occasionally it will transfer itself into a different set of piano chords, while the drums pick up their regularity. Then near the end, the piano's all but disappear instead the drums dominate with the occasional horn that fades across before disappearing again, almost like a train. Then it decides to stay around for a bit, in short intervals before the track goes silent.
Immediately upon hearing "The Hunter" my mind turns to "Jaws" (this may be because I was just playing shark with my son but I think that is only part of the reason.) The song begins with that familiar "Jaws" type of sound played with a bass before the drums kick in over top of it adding more depth to it. Then the keys enter for a bit before fading and giving way to what sounds like a violin. By the way, this all happens in about 30 seconds. Then everything fades except for the bass and the occasional scream before repeating in slightly tweaked versions giving this beat a familiar but almost uncomfortable feeling (once again "Jaws" enters my mind.
"Sunday Conundrum" catches me off guard on each listen, while most of the songs on "The Antisocialist" have a dark ominous feel to it, Ill Clinton switched it up on this track giving it a much more introspective but positive sound and feel. Gentle guitar, harps, and chimes make this track very unique, not just to the album but as a whole, and then you throw the drums on top of it and you almost have the feeling of someone battling with their faith, even if just for a moment (maybe I am reaching on that but that is the sort of image I get while listening to this track.)
I may be wrong but I am pretty sure that Ill Clinton features a sitar very heavily on "Philly Tradition" and if it isn't a sitar it is some instrument that sounds exactly like a sitar. There has been an influx of people using Indian music to create hip hop beats lately (most notably Madlib and Oh No) but often it falls flat and sounds contrived, occasionally (see the two artists above) they knock it out of the park. Add "Philly Tradition" to that list, using that sitar as the feature but having the drums compliment it perfectly along with some other percussion instrument that has a great hollow sound.
We are then treated to another interlude, this time it is "(Interlude) Assault & Batter," a rather odd beat that sounds almost like the main element is part of a siren but only a brief moment of it that acts almost like a piano note surrounded by drums and a long lasting string note. Sprinkled throughout the track are vocal snippets that sound like they are coming over a police radio.
Bass guitar, with a faded rhythm guitar...this is how "Swamp Breathe" begins, almost as if the lead guitar is stuck under a pile of something before it finally breaks through and starts to take control, expressing itself more and more, whether it is longer chords, or a simple extra note here or there. Then midway through the lead disappears and bass fades as some vocals come into play before both guitars reenter the beat, this happens one last time at the end before the music ends at the sample.
The moment "Wonder Why..." begins you think you know exactly what kind of beat it will be, a uptempo, up lifting soul beat. But that idea comes crashing down VERY quickly (3 seconds in to be rather precise) a rather eerie keyboard (I think) note takes over, creating a totally different atmosphere. Now, it is still a soulful sound, but not any where close to upbeat. Just when you think you have the beat figured out, the note vanishes as guitars, drums, saxophones, and great vocals make you question if the beat is going to transform into what you originally thought, then again as you are comfortable that note returns, casting a shadow over the scene. This pattern repeats itself, but each time it catches the listener off guard, and leaves you wondering why this is done and why you didn't realize it was coming.
Instrumental albums rarely fit into well shaped subgenres that make it easy to diagnose just what the album is, that is one of the many things I love about them, and "The Antisocialist" is no different. It is what it is, quality music that is based in instrumental hip hop that will have you listening to it again and again and have you discovering new things on each listening. In short, this album is what Ill Clinton does, so take some time, listen to it, and digest it. Most importantly, enjoy this music.
You can stream and download the album here.
Thank you. Great review.
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