Thursday 14 August 2008

'Strange Fruit/Paintbrush' - M9 (single review)

This October, M9 (aka Melanin 9) will drop his biblically titled solo album '144,000'. In the meantime he's giving us a sample of what we can expect with the single 'Strange Fruit'.

'Strange Fruit' is a sombre Jon Phonics produced slab of street philosophy. If you heard the Triple Darkness album earlier this year then expect more of the same from M9. The lyrics are insightful and full of grey tone imagery focused on the current state of urban thought.

'Paintbrush' features Cyrus Malachi (of Triple Darkness) and Masikah and is produced by Chemo. Sonically it's a theme tune for a Hip Hop Arabian Nights. Lyrically it name checks many ancient religious systems and civilizations, painting a metaphorical picture of M9 and his allies.

Despite its darkness it's a fascinating listen as they open up a whole vault of terminology never before heard in Hip Hop. Triple Darkness have done with early beliefs, cultures and empires what the Wu-Tang Clan did with Kung-Fu references. It remains to be seen as to whether M9 and pals will spawn the same kind of following.

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