Ultraklystron

Likely unfamiliar to most hip-hop fans, nerdcore rapper/producer Ultraklystron has nonetheless been featured in the only two documentaries on that sub-genre that matter, Nerdcore For Life and Nerdcore Rising, and has just released his sixth nerdcore album, Animatic. An aspiring electronic and drum & bass producer before coming to hip-hop via nerdcore, Ultraklystron's hip-hop beats are heavily influenced by a vast array of electronic and club sounds. In many instances, the music wouldn't sound out of place on a commercial rap album, the dance floor beats and epic sing-along hooks definite Top 40 fodder. The subject matter is nerdy and the flows fluctuate from track to track, but when he hits his mark, as on swagged-out club tracks "OH NO GO GO" and "Con Rave Two Step," or his dirty South ode to the videogame Katawa Shoujo, "Katawa Tribute," topics such as anime and manga, videogames, computer programming, cheap clothes and green initiatives become easier to accept for the average music listener. And nerdcore vets Random and Beefy also impress with appearances on "City" and "Advice Animal," respectively. While the 22-track basic edition (available on CD and digitally) is likely enough for most, diehard Ultraklystron and nerdcore fans will appreciate the additional 16 songs on the deluxe edition, a collection of remixes that exponentially ups the variety of electronic sub-genres represented on this album. A number of the remixes are even better than the originals, and in the case of "3 Dollar Jeans," the vocals are vastly improved with the VIP DNB Mix version. Mix and match to make your own edition.