Saint Surly “Beat Tape Manifest[o]” (Sass Bologna)
Ah, my first cassette review here on SAL! Not only that, it is of a hip hop/electronic artist from Brisbane, Austrailia. Saint Surly provides sample-based instrumental hip hop that tends to stay on the DIY side of the coin. Obviously, if you read SAL very much, you know that this is not a genre I tend to follow very closely. However, I have always been a fan of DJ Shadow and Saint Surly certainly falls into that same vein. In fact, Saint Surly is successfully mining the territory that DJ Shadow has seemingly left behind. Where DJ Shadow’s last album dealt mostly in excess with far too many guest rappers, Saint Surly shows a remarkable restraint with his work. Surly knows exactly when to pull back on his musical collages. These works are down-tempo, stark and gloomy. The samples are well-placed and add to the overall vibe of Surly’s beats. The DJ maintains a constant mood while still inviting the listener in to explore all the nuances of his work. With a wealth of influences and the ability to pull from countless genres, Surly proves that hip hop can truly be musically transcendent. Saint Surly is putting forth enthralling work that gives hip hop a much needed heart and soul.
Genre: Hip Hop/Electronica
RIYL: DJ Shadow, Danger Mouse, Madlib
Restored Lack Of Faith
[audio http://www.ezarchive.com/original/soundaslanguage/RestoredLackofFaith.mp3]
