It's been a long, hard road to Fluorescent Black for Anti-Pop Consortium with fall-outs, break-ups and solo careers all now water under the bridge as they finally follow up Arrhythmia, seven years after that stone-cold beauty. Time hasn't dulled their talent for abstract rhyme acrobatics, nor their sonic inventiveness but in the move from Warp to Big Dada they do seem to have become a purer hip-hop group with the complex programming toned down in favour more traditional beats and an emphasis on texture and densely layered samples to serve an atmosphere in which their sci-fi leanings are pushed more to the fore, with a slightly more serious lyrical tone to match. It reminds me a little of the dystopian storytelling of El-P in parts, actually. Also worth mentioning is that they manage to coax a Brand New Second Hand-style performance out of Roots Manuva on 'NY To Tokyo' which goes down an absolute treat. A bit different to before then, but still pretty great.
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Sound clips for Fluorescent Black by Anti-Pop Consortium: on CD at Norman Records UK. CD, Big Dada, BDCD150, £9.79.
Anti-Pop Consortium are one of the key groups from the NYC indie hip hop scene, with legions of fans and a very strong sales history.
Their new album, ‘Fluorescent Black’, is being lauded as their masterpiece - effortlessly brilliant, cutting electronica combined with some of the most original and capable MCs on record.
Available on limited edition CD (2000 copies) and limited edition 2LP (2000 copies worldwide).
Tracklisting:
Lay Me Down * New Jack Exterminator * Reflections * SHINE *
C Thru U * Volcano * Timpani * The Solution * Get Lite *
NY To Tokyo * SuperUnfrontable * Born Electric * Apparently *
End Game * Capricorn One * Dragunov * Fluorescent Black
