Bluntfang’s ‘COARSE LIGHT II: OTW FROM HEAVEN’ is an immersive experience

• Courtesy Harsh Riddims

Following the recently released Health is Wealth Vol.1 cassette by Fit of Body (aka label founder Ryan Parks), Harsh Riddims returns with a freewheeling set of Bluntfang's stream-of-conscious hip-hop and basement no-fi jams. Negashi Armada, (of Shawty Arabia with Mickey Goodman) has been producing smoked-out gems for a few years now, following his branching out from Supreeme and Crossburner, yet this seems to be the first physical realization of his efforts. Shrouded in a thick haze of smoke, and accompanied by a few friends, Armada rolls joint after joint of distorted and syrupy revelation with charming disregard of polish and coherence. "XXXTRACURICUILAR" presents the hypnotic dissonance and non-hip-hop with a series of seemingly random samples and truncated beats, resembling Throbbing Gristle or Excepter chopped and screwed on a mixtape. The hyper-repetition of "LEGBA" (featuring #POB Mickey) and "ELEMENTS" (featuring Fat Tony) revel in a hopeful minimalism of metallic clatter, an approach best highlighted on "BOY STOP (uacop)" with Houston noisenik B L A C K I E. But even through the disorienting sound, moments of beauty bubble up, as with the somber sample and guitar lines of "ALL WINTER ALL SUMMER" and and upbeat resilience of "CYBERCRUSTCRUSHSLUSH." The album is an addictive and immersive window into Armada's brand of anti-anti-hip-hop brilliance with each pass.

★★★☆☆

Bluntfang-COARSE LIGHT II: OTW FROM HEAVEN by Harsh Riddims Blood Sucking Cassette Co.