Rustik - Monster

Hear The Track Here

Considering the short while I have known him (musically, ya know?), Rustik has acquitted himself extremely well with three highly recommendeds out of three tracks so far. Not bad going considering this is a) hip hop and b) probably not aimed at me anyway. See, if I were really truthful, I am definitely much more an old skool kinda hip hop/rap guy and Rustik is New School. Not that this is a bad thing mind, just not to my particular taste. I preferred the harder edge and more pointed social commentary that typified the genre's beginnings, all the riches and bitches schtick really sticks in my craw.

Which reminds me, wtf, IS a craw, anyway?

There is a tremendous storm in a teacup raging in the UK about a TV programme using the dreaded Autotune until it has now achieved Public Enemy Number One status, and I say about time too. This pernicious device is merely a tool, not a divine right and it really would be better to actually SING in tune (Ed: now there's a thing...) instead of using it to emulate cute, furry, curiously high pitched animals who should, rightly, be shot on sight. (Ed: Oh God!,where's my censor pencil, the blue jobby). Having spewed all of that venom in your general direction you may be surprised to learn that I actually really like Monster, and by extension am really getting to appreciate what Rustik is up to.

Monster is easily the best track I have heard from him yet, in arrangement, musical weight and a very, very decent rap to hold it all together. Yes, it's definitely commercially oriented but damn, it's been done with class and style. I think this is down to Jay Thomas and Man Mantis (producer and masterer respectively) it definitely raises Rustik's game to a much higher level and is very welcome indeed. However, as much as they contribute to the proceedings, ultimately its the song that is the real jewel here - it's a beauty. I very rarely write a comment on a track on the musicians notice board and then only when the track is really worthy of that extra mile. I would have done it with this one except, for some reason, the board is disabled. So I guess Rustik will just have to put up with...

MUST HAVE (and I mean KILLAH) new school Hip Hop.