Organized Konfusion

When rumours of an Organized Konfusion reunion surfaced and were subsequently scuttled last year heads were understandably dismayed. While 2004’s surprisingly solid The Slickness from Prince Po and pretty much all of Pharoahe Monch’s solo output has proven these two virtuoso MCs can hack it on their own, the chemistry the duo produced together is undeniable. Split evenly among their three albums, OK’s dense abstract lyricism, mind-bending lyrical delivery and virtually flawless conceptual execution ranks them as one of hip-hop’s all-time unparalleled creative forces. Whether it’s the incisive social commentary relayed from the innovative perspectives of a foetus ("In Vetro”) or a lead projectile ("Stray Bullet”), or classics such as the lyrically groundbreaking "Releasing Hypnotical Gases” from their debut, OK intuitively use their voices as instruments and flaunt their mastery over words. However there are some rarities tossed in for long-time followers. A promo from the esteemed Sway & Tech radio show features an unexpected cameo from an Illmatic-era Nas and the previously unreleased "Passion,” presumably an outtake from the ambitious The Equinox, also appears. The only qualm is that too many songs from that record appear, which is comparatively lacklustre to their self-titled debut and their Stress: The Extinction Agenda masterpiece. To be fair there are only three to choose from, but according to the liner notes hopes for a fourth record aren’t quite dead yet. Fingers crossed.