 Madlib is a weird one; one minute he’s producing a certified banger for the likes of MF DOOM or Talib Kweli, the next he’s producing something that sounds like someone banging pots and pans. Add to this his Quasimoto albums and Bollywood album, and you start to wonder what BBE were thinking when they lined-up Madlib to complete their beat generation series. Giving Madlib the opportunity to make music exactly how he wanted it, with no restrictions, was a brave move, and when he came back with an album called WLIB AM: King of the Wigflip, BBE must have been thinking, in true Pharcyde-style, “Ohhhhh shit.” They need not have worried though, because WLIB AM: King of the Wigflip is brilliant. Nothing sounds better than a hungry emcee destroying a Madlib beat, and Guilty Simpson, Prince Po, Murs and MED shine on this album. The album also has two of the best hip-hop tracks of the year on it – Gamble on Ya Boy, featuring Defari, is a classic west coast bounce, which is strangely addictive, while I Want it Back, featuring Madlib’s younger brother, Oh No, is as epic a sounding song as you’re likely to hear - calling for the return of quality hip-hop. Occasionally Madlib lets the pace slip with Beat Konducta instrumentals, something that would sound better on a separate album, like he and J Dilla have done before. These tracks feel like a bit of an anticlimax to surrounding tracks, but they don’t majorly affect the overall quality of the album. His music may sometimes sound as mad as a hatter, but that’s Madlib’s genius, and like Picasso, Madlib now has a masterpiece to his name. James Descombes |
