Cyne take a unique approach to hip-hop, mixing live instrumentation and dub production with socially conscious rhymes that eschew complicated double-time rhythms and smartass metaphors for a decidedly old school flow that makes up for lack of innovation with raw passion. They're more confrontational than the Native Tongues Posse but not as violent as Dead Prez or Mobb Deep, weary of social injustice but never advocating the thug lifestyle.
First off, even without words this is a pretty interesting album. The beats are sparse yet melodic, layering keyboards, live & programmed percussion and samples that create a laid back atmosphere with stabs of paranoia and noise. An instrumental version would be a realistic avenue to follow, and the brevity of most of the tracks would make it very listenable.
There are 16 tracks here, though they are all songs, avoiding the annoying habit of '90s hip-hop CDs to dilute a couple singles with pointless skits (or even stretch over 2 CDs). Sixteen still does seem like a lot, but due to the fact they rarely break three minutes it's easier to think of them as parts of a suite. "Just Say No" is a great opener, laying down the band's Afro-centric focus with highlife samples and put downs on both flashy commercial rap and a disappointing underground scene. The 90 seconds of "Calor" builds on exotic percussion as demonic ear candy that fades in and out of the mix as the lyrics focus on the apocalypse. "Money Parade" is the undisputed highlight, a dark dubstep track framed by spoken word samples and lyrics that discuss the role of art in culture and how money (or lack thereof) pervades the lives of the disenfranchised.
Hip-hop albums this sonically adventurous usually come from labels like Def Jux, not a small Pacific Northwest indie label better known for bands like Pattern is Movement. Pretty Dark Things is just the latest from this long running collective, another great collection of inventive beats and thoughtful lyrics.
Cyne
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