BACK TO MAIN
By Jose S. Gutierrez Jr., DJ Luvva J - Seaspot.com
Sleeping on talent cannot be allowed much longer without being categorized as a sucker…or sucka. So, if you’ve slept on the lyrical mayhem, thumping beats and melodic undertones of Vancouver, B.C.’s Swollen Members, you are officially slippin’. With their latest release, Monsters In The Closet, Swollen Members drop a montage of unheard bangers and b-sides…and if you say you rep Hip-Hop, you need to check for Swollen…this is not an opinion – more like a public service announcement.
Monsters In The Closet is by no means a ‘new’ album, although it is a new release. The crew consisting of Madchild, Rob The Viking, Prevail and Moka Only light up the Canadian Hip Hop scene with originality and true representation from block to block…for those willing to be enlightened. On the inscription in the CD’s booklet, Madchild, the lead artist/spokesman describes …The Closet as a ‘compilation of B-sides and unreleased tracks for our core fans.’ The core fans will enjoy …The Closet, but new listeners will most likely be taken aback by the unsuspecting bangers from our Canuck cousins in Canada…for those sleeping on Canada, that is.
Heaters on …The Closet include “Steppin’ Thru”, “Fuel Injected” and “Bring It Home” which are Van City anthems receiving
Vancouver's Swollen Members Photo: Battle Axe Records
Heavy radio play and placing Swollen on their self-proclaimed throne in the city that Expo ’86 built. On the aforementioned cuts, Swollen displays a remarkable rhythmic sound that is unparalleled in most Hip-Hop artists today. The unique aspect of their work that listeners will hear with …The Closet is the variation of sounds. Swollen is by no means one-dimensional and this is clear from track to track with dark and murky sounds laying a ‘real’ (or whatever that’s supposed to mean) and underground foundation as well as serving a genuine party vibe on several tracks. On the reflective and melancholy “Long Way Down” the members describe the rise and fall possibilities in life and in their ventures in love and war. Another off kilter track is the racy collaboration with Victoria, B.C.’s own Nelly Furtado on the in your face and inspirational “Breath”, produced by Rob The Viking. Furtado’s signature vocals punctuate “Breath” with emotion and emphasize why she has risen from nowhere to everywhere fast.
The self-reflective “Temptation” with beats by Joey Chavez opens with the question “Temptation things that run through your head/ like, I wonder what my friend’s girlfriend’s like in bed / Yo, I bet sometimes she thinks of me instead.” Clever…clever…Swollen is full of thought provoking and original concepts which are clearly the definitive litmus tests for any “TRUE” Hip-Hop artists. They pass the test with ease and encouragement with …The Closet. And guests are welcome to rock with Swollen on this one, from DJ Babu to DJ Revolution, Saukrates and Kemo of the Rascalz.
If you’re not checking for Swollen Members, you’re missing the boat. The multicultural mix of artists and their equally diverse styles, ideas and concepts set them on a course to possibly be overlooked by the fickle U.S. market, but these guys sell out tours in Asia and Europe. Although U.S. radio for the most part ignores Canadian Hip-Hop, Monsters In The Closet serves as a reminder for those who know, and a wake up call for those who do not – to consider Swollen as forerunners of the culture. It reminds open minds to try on that gear you might have forgotten about…you don’t know what you will find in the closet until you look. It’s a banger…my word.
[Seaspot.com]