Beans

The bald-headed microphone wrecker, beat mutilator and track pants-sporting Beans is back with a small dose of what’s to come in the upcoming year. The majority of this nine-track EP contains new tracks that show Beans really starting to ease into the role of a solo artist quite well. The former member of Anti-Pop Consortium is getting a major jump on his old crew by already following up his debut from last year with what seems to be a more focused and confident release. "Structure Tone” delivers a distinct pulse that sets off Beans’ voyage into electro hip-hop, creating a head-nodding tempo that is later transformed into some sort of puzzling improvisation that might have been inspired by bad science fiction films from the ’80s. Luckily these little excursions don’t ruin Beans’ formula as he just comes even stronger, such as the slow-paced "Crevice,” which has a glorious gospel vibe mixed with operatic snippets and organs. Though the new joints are very promising and show that Beans can not only drop bugged-out lyrics but also produce some hefty beats, it’s the remix collaborations that have spawned from Tomorrow Right Now that take centre stage. El-P’s remix of "Mutescreamer” is easily the standout track on Now Soon Someday as the producer lays a wicked cowbell break beat to give new life to the previously released number. Prefuse 73 is given an opportunity to remix the same cut, but it just can’t touch El-P’s rendition. Luckily, Prefuse is given two chances and makes good on an instrumental tinkering of "Phreek the Beet” instead. Now Soon Someday is a very positive sign that Beans is well on his way to leaving his Anti-Pop days behind him and emerging as the true talent of his former crew.