Dan le Sac vs Scroobius Pip - Angles (2008)

Well this was a surprise. I don't really pay much attention to hiphop, so having this recommended and finding out that it is indeed a brilliant work wasn't something I expected.

Dan le Sac is in charge of the music on this album, providing solid beats and creative electronic melodies with subtle tweaks and embellishments. While not extremely complex (Pip is the real focus here), there's definitely a lot more fun and thought put into the beats than is normal. On the forefront, Scroobius Pip is a white English "rapper" with a killer voice and a masterful handle on lyrics. Never one to settle for monosyllabic grunts, Pip delivers on all topics with spunk and aplomb. For a rough idea of how they come together, I'd say the sound is what one would expect if Art Brut tried to do grime.

So far, so good. But the thing I find the most impressive about this duo is that their songs go the extra mile, from the progressive development of the music to the story-focused lyrics. Verse/chorus structures are never impressive, and they seem to plague hiphop with more regularity than most genres (barring techno, haha), so it's quite refreshing to hear an act that rises above that and provides songs that actually go somewhere. Scroobius Pip covers some fantastic topics, from the ramifications of suicide to using cliches of hiphop (and music in general) as a parody of the genre. Also, extra points for making a non-negative song about god that keeps my interest.

The album isn't technically consistent in terms of interest. This is not a negative aspect, just something that I always notice and what keeps this from getting an Epic Win. At its best, the songs are nothing short of perfect. The title track alone can get me shuddering as it rises to its final climax:

" I went straight up to the counter, I said I’d like to speak to the guard who nicked my brother on Tuesday of this week. As the girl knocked on the door and disappeared out of sight, I put my hand in my pocket, gripped the knife tight. This was it, as she pointed me out to the guard, My hand began to shake I held the knife so hard. As he approached me, there was nothing to say. I stabbed that Fucker eight times, before they could take me away."

Pip's delivery is fucking impeccable in this song, conveying the emotions of each person's part of the story. The music rises with the mood, helping drive the end to its impassioned climax. This song alone earns the album a Win. However, there are only a few other perfect songs on the album. Others don't initially impress, but draw you in through the lyrics or even through a point that they want to make. On its own, "Tommy" isn't the most engaging song, but I really love the story about comedian Tommy Cooper. Another example is the next song, "Fixed." Although the song is a sarcastic piece about how they're fixing hip-hop, it features a highly repetitive guitar loop taken from Dizzee Rascal (Roll Deep, yah!). The point is to highlight how simple hip-hop music can be, but the push to make a statement seems to drag down the song overall. I think a little work could be done to integrate the intent with an overall smoother setup, something for future releases.

Verdict: Win [4/5]

http://www.last.fm/music/Dan+Le+Sac+vs+Scroobius+Pip