Modulok & Bare Beats

While the hard, dark beats of Vincent Price tend to bring out the badass b-boy brags and conspiracy concepts of Modulok on their Red Ants releases, the smoother, more melancholy music of UK producer Bare Beats uncovers the person behind the moniker. Over hard drum loops, plenty of piano and frequent horn stabs, Mo opens up about a failed relationship ("Grimy”), his youth and the life-altering discovery of hip-hop ("Origin”), and the crazy (in more ways than one) evolution of the lives of three friends ("Stories”). As well, Mo presents a number of down-to-earth narratives solo and alongside Canadians Apollo Creed and Baracuda, and Brits Scaramanga, Kal Sereousz and Smokey. The most out-there that Modulok gets on Two Cities is "Assassin,” a likely metaphorical story about a rapper by day and assassin by night. Sure, the Red Ants releases are more refined and hype but it’s nice to see an MC take advantage of the opportunity to reveal another side of his character, especially one that’s so personal and private in a world where fictional thuggery is becoming more and more the norm.