Reviews:: Mantrakid - Palmflowerblack

Hello friends. I sense that you once again had a jones in the bones for some Alberta hip hop coverage here on the hill. This is a malady I can fix in one simple post. With some assistance from Calgary (I think he might currently be reppin' Vancouver Island, but that doesn't really fit for puposes of this semi-humourous intro) rapper/singer/producer Mantrakid and his new album Palmflowerblack.

Nate Schmold is the man otherwise known as Mantrakid, and he's also the man behind hip hop/electronic label Neferiu, which I mentioned earlier this year while discussing their free download of Metawon's Electric Dyslexic. Running a label is a time-consuming business, so it's not a surprise that it's taken some time (10 plus years) for the (Mantra)kid to release what he calls his "proper" debut. And an interesting, energetic debut it is, with Mantrakid's kinetic presence featured throughout on production and vocals.

Even though there are some fairly straight-ahead hip hop songs on here (Felt Tipped Dignity, Ability To Rap, Sinister States), the production on Palmflowerblack definitely leans towards the electronic end of the hip hop spectrum. When you pair that with the numerous styles Mantrakid tries out on the album (rappin', sing-song rappin', singin', and no vocal instrumental tracks - and that isn't counting the contributions from guests, who I'm glossing over because I can't find a tracklist that id's them), this album would likely be placed pretty squarely in the experimental hip hop category. Certainly no shame in that though, as hip hop needs nothing if not people trying to innovate and take it to new and interesting places.

The production on Palmflowerblack does it part towards keeping things interesting, with such varying styles across the 18 songs that you never come close to hearing the same thing twice. This is true even on the instrumental tracks: the title track features atmospheric, floaty sounds laid over a solid drum track, while Thursday's Ginger is a much more minimal electronic affair with blips and skittering drums, and The Secret Song builds on that formula with some menacing drums and chopped vocals added to the mix. But there's plenty of hip hop flavour to be had also, like Next Shit, which mixes 80's fast-rap with Lyrics Born-esque flows, and a decent guest appearance from Calgary MC Ricca Razor Sharp. Genesis opens like it samples Genesis, before soaring eastern-influenced guitar licks take over and Calgary's King Lou kicks a verse at the two minute mark. This is a solid jam, this style is the one I think I enjoy most from him.

Felt Tipped Dignity very catchy beat, it has a Bomb Squad feel to it. His MC-ing on this track (and on the conceptual Ability To Rap) is a little over the top, a little Organized Rhymey for my taste, but still enjoyable none the less. Things get a little darker at the album's mid-point, with the 80's keys & drums of You'll Never and the electro, El-P-ish production on Sinister States. The dub-laced So Hot I Can Taste It is likely the closest thing to a club track you'll find on Palmflowerblack, but it certainly isn't a club track in the conventional sense. The generational pondering of My Peers has a pretty solid beat and is likely my favorite of the songs on the album which mix sung vocals and rappin'.

The one thing that comes through to me after listening to Palmflowerblack is that Mantrakid is a talented guy. He tries so many things on here and manages to keep things interesting and very listenable throughout, that you can't help but be impressed. The only thing I feel the need to suggest is that next time around trimming things down from 18 songs might be wise. With the schizophrenic attention spans of today's music listeners, you want an album to put forth a precise package of your best work, and while this album certainly delivers bang for the buck, I could see some losing interest in the latter half. Anyway, I don't want to be too harsh on the (Mantra)kid for offering listeners more for their money, and I certainly think this album is worth checking out if you like the your hip hop with its boundaries stretched a bit. I'm interested in seeing where Mantrakid and Neferiu go from here.