Dynamism

The long-awaited debut from Dynamic duo Johnny Cuba and the Loop Professor is one of the finest hip-hop albums of 1999. Dynamic Syncopation specialise in smoky, multi-layered instrumentals, with some tracks taking the form of dark, soundtrack soundscapes, while others are more reminiscent of the fragrant dope beats peddled by DJ Food and other Ninja Tune artists. The musical depth on show here is considerable, with sly horns, spooky flutes, subtle samples and jangly guitars all vying for position in the mix. Alongside the richly textured, excellently-executed instrumentals are a bunch of fine vocal cuts: Mass Influence star on the brilliant, string-laden "Ground Zero" and "Dedicated", while Juice Aleem lends his gruff tones to the irresistibly funky "The Plan". New school New York MC Yeshua de PoEd pops up on a couple of more experimental cuts, too ("Losing Your Soul" being the best). A dynamic debut, Dynamism is a deep, slightly dark, late-night hip-hop album of some distinction. --Matt Anniss

Label: Unknown
Studio: Ninja Tune
Released: 1999-08-23
Format: Audio CD