.Dälek

Gutter Tactics is a pointed reminder that the negative energy
of the last 8, 50, or 233 years cannot be erased in one day. The chilly
mood Dälek creates may not be one that people wish to embrace as
they embark upon this optimistic new year.Producer Oktopus coats his
thick beats in dark, layered grinds of noise, like a Bomb Squad raised
on industrial music instead of soul or funk. It’s a squealing,
malevolent sound, one that gives the album a constant sense of unease
and dread. MC Dälek’s voice sits low in the mix, emerging from the
swirling din with eerie, guttural force.The opening track, which
samples the Reverend Jeremiah Wright’s infamous post-9/11 sermon, will
get a lot of attention, but not because it’s a gimmick — it’s
powerful and provocative, and it strips away the hysteria that ignored
the truth in his lines. “Who Medgar Evers Was …” is like a splash of
cold water to the face; “Armed with Krylon” finds Dälek and
Oktopus perfectly aligned, the vocals and music forming an overwhelming
crush.The only stutter: “Los Macheteros,” a time line of the Puerto
Rican independence/terrorist movement, comes off as forced and
didactic. Still, Gutter Tactics recalls the anger of the recent
past and memories we’d like to leave behind — perfect timing.
(Ipecac)