Dialect

While they may open their debut album with an overused sample from Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas, it is Hunter Thomspon after all, so it’s worth overlooking. And it’s even easier to forgive when this UK crew’s opening track, "Laygate 2 Vegas,” fades in. Anchored by producer Peta Max’s hard drum break and layered with blues guitar, cuts and screams, rappers Chattabox, Rik Fury, Sep5 and Y.Not introduce themselves and their swagger. They follow it up with "Sick in the Head,” a paranoid, over-the-top horrorcore track with a deep, funky bass line. They mellow out on "Orchestrate” with an introspective track backed by guests Glass Onion before kicking the tempo back up with the catchy, reggae-influenced anthem "Aye Aye.” Things slow down for the final three songs, which is where this EP finally stumbles. "You Know My Name” holds its own thanks to an addictive sample on the chorus, while they also snag a wicked guitar sample for "Cold Streets” and Max provides a groovy blues rock beat for "Won’t Stop.” Too bad they lack the charisma and energy of the earlier songs. Still, this collection of old and new tracks makes for a solid album of dark, underground hip-hop.