This isn't a clash — it's a uniting. Revolutionary alumni punk and hip-hop find a common playground here and have loads of fun experimenting all over it. The dirty, grumbling drum machine heaves beats in the back while the kids thrash to the racing Sabbath-style riffs up front. Graffiti tags the walls of distorted noise with bumping flavor, and punk's don't-give-a-fuck mentality spits a sloppy sneer into the mix. Mostly instrumental, the new album from Brooklyn's Japanther offers a fine example of how well the two revolting parties can come together for impressive results. Though you won't recognize punk or underground hip-hop in the traditional sense, dig into the mesmerizing, gritty grooves and stinging feedback and you'll uncover fragments of each genre's definitive roots. Of the record's 16 tracks, some will thrash old-school hardcore/punk style ("Reap What You Sew," "Public Square," "Please to Meet You") and others will kick it with bumpin' hip-hop flavor ("Gimme the Map," "Claudia's Symptoms"). Still, while one influence may dominate the other (and incorporate the outgrowths of each, i.e., techno and post-punk), they coexist in each song, whether it's the presence of scratches amongst hardcore's grind, samples inside punk's 4/4 beats, or melodic keyboard hums atop bumps big enough for the hood. Beyond exemplifying an experimental union of sorts, the record showcases Japanther as a fresh, artistic, creative-minded bunch bringing together two rebel worlds in a unique, supremely engaging way — it shakes you up and rubs you down all at once. It's sweet.
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