ALBUM REVIEW: DALEK - ENDANGERED PHILOSOPHIES

DALEK
ENDANGERED PHILOSOPHIES
Ipecac Recordings
Industrial Hip Hop, Illbient, Noise.
Listening Format: Digital



Dalek is a Hip Hop outfit with a twist who have been active since the late '90s. Dalek have always strived to bring something different to the sphere of Hip Hop, combining hard hitting boom bap beats and politically charged rapping with elements of Industrial, Drone, Noise and Dark Ambient. They are also considered a strong part of an obscure and short-lived subgenre "Illbient", combing elements of Ambient music and Hip Hop alongside the likes of DJ Spooky, Scorn and Techno Animal. Because Dalek is such an experimental, noisy and abrasive act, it comes as no surprise that they have actually found an even bigger following in the Metal and experimental music communities than in Hip Hop. Their long standing relationship on Mike Patton's Ipecac Recordings has also helped to cement their cult status.

'Endangered Philosophies' is Dalek's second full length album following their hiatus after 2009's 'Gutter Tactics' LP. In 2015, the legendary act began touring again, culminating in their 2016 comeback mini-LP 'Asphalt For Eden'. If their previous outting was the band testing the waters, then this one is them fully re-emerging themselves into their craft. Dalek's most critically acclaimed album, 2005's 'Absence' was by far their droniest and darkest effort, often removing itself from Hip Hop entirely. But with 'Endangered Philosophies' Dalek have made one of their most direct and cohesive albums yet. In a way it follows on from the more immediate 'Abandoned Language' album from 2007. This time around, Hip Hop has taken a much more prominent role, with all the tracks being centred around the beats and MC Dalek's politically charged rhymes. Straight from the gut punching opening track 'Echoes Of...' Dalek make their mission statement. Pounding looped beats, booming bass and shoegazy layers of noise that threaten to overwhelm MC Dalek's fiery verses. I've always really liked the way the vocals sit in the middle of the mix, sometimes making the words indecipherable, but allowing them to truly add to the atmosphere. Whilst the mix of this track definitely favours the Hip Hop parts of their sound, it is still fairly noisy, with a sample that sounds like a swarm of bees! 'Weapons' is less abrasive allowing the beats and rhymes to really lead the way. Massive standout 'Nothing Stays Permanent' feels like Dalek's attempt to make a dark and eerie Hip Hop banger, reminiscent of RZAs dark and grimy production in early Wu Tang joints. The cold and haunting piano on this track is a touch of magic. 'A Collective Cancelled Thought' is a slow building 7 minute epic that escalates in menace, finally exploding into a raging performance from MC Dalek as a droning siren threatens to swallow up the whole track. Closing track 'Numb' elevates the vocals far more prominently, leading to one of MC Dalek's most passionate performances as he raps 'This is gonna change you / This is gonna change me / This has gotta change".

Not only do Dalek feel like they have barely been away at all, but they've come back all guns blazing, continuing to make abstract, experimental, forward thinking and outside the box Industrial Hip Hop. 'Endangered Philosophies' is an inspired record and whilst it isn't the most challenging in their discography, it's sheer direct approach works really well, with enough variation and weirdness to keep it interesting. There truly would not exist bands like Death Grips if it wasn't for pioneers like Dalek. And whilst Death Grips may be more visceral and demented in approach these days, Dalek have just as much darkness, horror and weirdness in their own right. 8/10.