I’ve been waiting for this album for awhile now and it’s just brilliant. These guys have got huge potential. Le Sac’s quite brilliant programming, that is not only rhtymically excellent it’s also beautiful at times. The lyrical content is superb. Scroobius Pip has a seriously powerful way with words. I think with another few albums under their belts these guys will be the best in their game.
‘Angles‘, although not perfect, is an astonishing debut effort. The intro of ‘The Beat That My Heart Skipped’ brings the album alive instantly, and it doesn’t stop until the beautiful, 11 minute conclusion of ‘Waiting for the Beat To Kick In’.
In between that there’s some stunning work. ‘Tommy C’ is a beautiful regale of the life and death of Tommy Cooper. That’s the second time I’ve used the word ‘beautiful’ in this review, very strange considering this is a hip hop album.
‘Fixed’ is a version of Dizzee Rascal’s ‘Fix Up, Look Sharp’. I never realised how good this song was until I heard this version. I know Dizzee’s got his style and that’s what makes him who he is but this version is so much more tolerable.
The title track is a fabulously, eye opening track. The story of a child trying to hold his family together after his mum died giving birth to him and his dad becomes an abusive alcoholic. The lyrics in this song are some of the best I have ever heard. It describes the various angles from this kid’s depressing life and the consequences of his actions and those of the people around him.
The pick of the bunch however is ‘Letter From God To Man’. Le Sac’s butchering of Radiohead’s ‘Planet Telex’ is astounding. He has created a magnificent scene and mood for Pip’s lyrics. It builds and builds and builds until it breaks out with Thom Yorke’s ‘Everything is broken’. The lyrics again tell an eye opening story. From the perspective of god writing to man to explain why the world is falling apart. It’s not his fault, it’s ours.
Of the few qualms I have with this album ‘Thou Shalt Always Kill’ is the biggest. This was the first song I heard from these guys and I instantly loved it. It’s one of the smartest songs around. It’s brilliant in it’s message but also humourus. Unfortunately, they decided to re-record this for the album. Although mostly the same, it’s at a slower pace (possibly to help Pip get his tongue around his words, another qualm). It just doesn’t have the same feel and grove to it as the original single. It is though, still a brilliant song.
Having waited with bated breath for this album I’m already awaiting their second effort as it’s going to be even better.
Dan le Sac Vs Scroobius Pip - Angles is out 12th May
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Tags: angles, dan le sac vs scroobius pip, dizzee rascal, fix up, fixed, hip hop, letter from god to man, look sharp, planet telex, radiohead, self harm, the beat that my heart skips, thom yorke, thou shalt always kill, tommy c, tommy cooper, waiting for the beat to kick in
