Mylo Destroy Rock & Roll
Warm... warmer... disco!
After being in the UK for nearly two years, Destroy Rock & Roll has finally come to our shores, with three additional tracks no less. It's worth noting that this album was actually made in produced in the artist's (real name Myles MacInnes) home using nothing but his G4 Mac and some basic computer software, which is very admirable given the success he's experienced overseas and the hype he's garnered here in the states. Focusing on the music itself, the first three tracks, "Valley of the Dolls," "Sunworshipper" and "Musclecars," are all laid back yet incredibly engaging. While falling somewhere between Röyksopp and Daft Punk in presentation, the songs are so well crafted that even the aforementioned groups would envy it. What becomes exceedingly apparent as the disc continues is Mylo's incredible sense of pop culture. Much like Fatboy Slim, Mylo utilizes vocals to a degree that truly enhances his music, whether it's the tacky, yet amusing synth vocal cursing that occurs on "Drop the Pressure," or the irresistibly catchiness of 80's pop that Mylo captures on "In My Arms" and "Guilty of Love." Where this skill becomes incredibly apparent is on the title track, where basically every single prominant rock star apparently needs to be destroyed. While this could come off as being not only slightly clichéd, but also pompous, it really works well within the context of this song and appears to read as more of a anti-commercialism rant, rather than anything else, particularly considering how obviously influenced he is by many of the artists listed. This could very well be the most outstanding Electronica album I've heard since Daft Punk's Homework. It's quite simply a masterpiece.
Rating: 100
Aceyalone & RJD2 Magnificent City
A pure work of genius, this album will take you back to the golden age of hip-hop.
Much like the collaboration that brought you Dangerdoom (Danger Mouse and MF Doom) last year, Aceyalone & RJD2's Magnificent City is the kind of album that really should completely alter the way people look at hip-hop. With the one two punch of "All For U" and the single "Fire," it's immediately apparent how much RJD2's productions elevated Aceyalone's already established lyrics to being not only incredibly crafted but also slick and accessible. Unlike Dangerdoom, of course, this album isn't all about fun and games either, as there are some outstanding but dark songs such as "Junior," "Heaven," and "Here & Now." Hopefully with the success of these albums it will encourage more collaboration between artists in the underground hip-hop genre, such as the upcoming Gnarles Barkley (Cee-Lo and Danger Mouse) project. These collaborations should be what's celebrated in the hip-hop genre, and in the case of Magnificent City, I think you'd be hard pressed to buy a better hip-hop album this year, it's just that good.
Rating: 95
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