Free Kamal * by Antimc/Radioinactive NEUF populaire

Tracks:
With Light Within
Chop Chop
Movin Truck
First World Jusice System
Weight of Secrets, The
Citrus
Stop Me Equals Death
Runnin With Scissors
Physics of My Success, The
Dinosaur Eggs
Folding Dirty Laundry
Magnets

Performer Notes:

• 2 bands on 1 CD.
• Personnel: Daniel Miller, Paul Y. Chang, Majek Fashek, Andre Afram Asmar, Nikko (vocals); AntiMC (guitar, melodica, trombone, synthesizer, glockenspiel, triangle, percussion, background vocals); Todd M. Simon (trumpet); Les McCann (piano).
• While 2001s Pyramidi was labeled "American made avant hip-hop," Radioinactive calls Free Kamal, his 04 effort for Mush/Dirty Loop, "art rap." Whats the difference? The answer might be in that torrent of syllables and left field rhymes flying sideways from the MCs mouth. He doesnt own his off-kilter style outright; its wordiness and occasional impenetrability can suggest Mr. Lif, and Kool Keith seems like a forebear. But on Kamal, Radio continues to bring the positivity and activism alongside the fantastical lyrical rides. The album features the beats and arranging work of fellow Dirty Loop member AntiMc, who really keeps us guessing. "With Light Within" flows from a tropicalia/funk well, as Radioinactive raps humanistic directives in his clipped, sardonic tone. "Borrow no money," he urges. "Cut up your credit cards/And spend less time on the computer/Call up your mother." Over the bass-heavy, Casio beat-driven vibe of "Movin Truck," Radioinactive imagines the titular vehicle as a motivator for drastic life change. AntiMc arranges "First World Jusice System" as a detached dub lilt complete with rattling percussion echo, and "Stop Me Equals Death" scrapes the pop fringes with its driving acoustic guitar and Majek Fashek vocal sample. There are a few more traditionally hip-hop moments on Free Kamal. "Citrus," for example, suggests the work of the Bay Areas Solesides crew populaire with its dreamy backgrounds and more rhythmic, Lateef-like approach from Radioinactive (Best line: "Realign your chakras cause Chewbaccas at the helm..."), and "Running With Scissors" could be a particularly inventive slice of New York City hip-hop. Later, "Dinosaur Eggs" returns Free Kamal to its funny vibe of busy flows and fluid beats, with Radioinactive rhyming "minimalism" with "animal jism" over a crushed groove of what sounds like samples from old film noir soundtracks, and "Folding Dirty Laundry" is a flurry of effortlessly wacky non sequiturs over an uplifting piano melody. Radioinactive and AntiMc certainly havent taken the accessible route with Free Kamal. But the albums engaging, intriguing beats and blizzard of odd bird erudite raps makes it inviting all the same. ~ Johnny Loftus

Producer: Antimc

Format: CD (1 Disc); Stereo

Country: USA

Studio/Live: Studio

Release Date: 21 June, 2004

Label: Mush Records (USA)

Dimensions: 12.7 x 14.8 x 1 centimeters (0.06 kg)