Sons of Mammal

Sons of Mammal released a very limited edition EP in 2000 and another on vinyl and CD in 2003 but are only now getting around to finally dropping their first full-length CD. The wait was worth it, as Overpass Cafe blows away their previous work. Xczircles, who also produces most of the tracks for his Escape Artists group, contributes some of his best tracks, assisted a few times by Amnesia. However, it’s Circuitt who really comes through with some of the most interesting productions. The stripped down minimalism of his "Perverted Bassment” tumbles along like shoes in a dryer, while his wild west-inflected "The Seesaw Chronicles” becomes the album highlight when Xczircles and Amnesia lay their "Broken Language”-style delivery over it. And then Circuitt also comes through with another favourite, "Artcore” featuring V8, whose rapid, exasperated raps fit nicely with Xczircles’ guttural vocals, forcibly spit like they taste disgusting, and Amnesia’s smoother, elastic voice. They also bring along their respective crews — Escape Artists and Skeleton Crew — for the only other guest appearances on posse cut "Birds Eye-view.” While Overpass Cafe probably won’t impress fans of club or radio rap, Sons of Mammal are ready-made for fans of envelope pushing, leftfield, literate hip-hop.