Apsci
Quannum Projects
(2009)

We have witnessed hip hop go though many transitions. From the inner-city streets of New York, to the suburban neighborhoods of Ohio, hip hop has evolved, regressed, diverged and at times, strayed away. Marketed as a saleable art form, it has also become susceptible to both exploitation and scrutiny. When you think about it, it can become quite disheartening. What happened to the days when you turned on KDAY L.A. and Public Enemy was spitting empowering lyrics, or you could escape to the atmospheric beats of Sach and become inspired by the adept quips of Black Moon? Nothing compares to the days when Tu-Pac ruled the summer sun and driving through the “park on a Sunday afternoon” really did exist. Some of it was playful and some of it was raw, but overall, hip hop was comprised of skills and originality.

Nowadays, there is a mishmash of hip hop and devotees are forced to sort through the heap just to find the pickins. For the most part, mainstream media and major record labels have turned their backs on progressive or alternative hip hop acts, leaving a specific niche within hip hop for artists who floss, gangster s*** talk or bling it up. However, there are the non-conformists who use open ciphers, beat machines and the experiences of every daily life to produce quality music. There is something to be said about MCs, DJs, graffiti writers and b-girls/boys who have turned what some would say, a metastatic or degenerating culture, into a cultivating one.

The Bay area record label, Quannum Project, honors this philosophy. Initiated by the verbally equipped hip hop crew, Blackalicious,Quannum has built its reputation by taking risks and welcoming artists who are a bit more experimental in their approach.  And if there is one group who lives up to this commitment, it is the Sony and Cher of hip hop, Apsci (Applied Science). Husband and wife, Filipina- Australian Dana Diaz-Tutaan and Bronx bred Raphael La Motta, have applied a science to their methods. By mincing a.) Dana’s classically trained operatic vocals to b.) Ra’s heavy, rotating electro beats, the couple has developed quite the elixir.

Before the two met, Dana worked alongside poetic lyricist, Mike Ladd and hip hop iconoclasts, Anti-Pop Consortium. Ra worked the stage as well. With high school band mates, Vitapup, he performed amongst the likes of Elliot Smith and Bikini Kill. After working the same circuit, it was inevitable that Dana and Ra would meet. Their eventual partnership turned into a double union where their love for each other, as well as their love for music, bound them together. Seemingly, Dana’s infectious vocals wax over Ra’s funky, synth pop beats seamlessly.

Their debut album, Thanks for Asking, featuring Mr. Lif and Pigeon John, gained a raving response from music critics, back-packers and hip hop purists alike. However, for their second album, Apsci parted from the collabos and focused solely on their own contributions. Using both New York and Australia as inspiration, Best Crisis Ever develops into a gritty, yet refreshing, hip POP frenzy.  Departing from the traditional boom bap stature of hip hop, Best Crisis Ever relates more to Kanye, who fuses elements of rock and hip hop together. The album’s introduction song, “Crazy Crazy Insane” is teemed with quirky lyrics and catchy drum patterns. While Ra whistles, creating a truly “insane” like quality, Dana sings along, synchronizing in harmony.  Taking it up a notch, “Under Control” showcases Ra’s deft puns and Dana’s high-ranging vocals. Layered with futurized bleeps and razor-sharp synths, the song is danceable and fun.  Keeping the energy alive, “Til the Windows Rattle,” is a feverish number that shakes with reverb and douses in a vocoder, hyphy, and southern swag (all in one).  Owning up the reputation of “being known to rock the microphone” Ra kills it with his mixed drawl and Dana’s sensuous choruses.

“The Dark and Bittersweet End” and “Afford Me This Poetry” illustrates a similarity known to Aesop Rock, whose wordplay is often atmospheric and complex. In this track, Ra’s lyrics are more reflective and didactic, while Dana vacillates between rock, r&b and classical sensibilities. It is refreshing to witness the varied styles she is able to reach. Their cover version of REM’s “Swan Swan H” balances the album. Its arioso rhythms are theatrical, yet not too melodramatic. The beats juggle between syncopated measures and Dana’s vocals (which similarly resemble Bjork). It is a perfect ending to a well thought out album. Apsci may not have found the remedy to cure hip hop, but they sure are keeping it alive.

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www.worlds-fair.net/apsci
www.apsci.net
www.myspace.com/apsci
www.scuffkicks.com

via Sarah Wolfson, 19 May 2009 2:01pm | |