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Ghetto Blaster

'It's been a long time, I shouldn't have left you without a def rhyme to tempt you!.' Yes it has been time since we last heard PBO on wax. 'Ghetto Blaster' finally arrives kicking off with the downright killer Def Jux/Skam hiphoptronix killer 'Hustlin', baddest cut to drop in some tiiiime. The previous singles '360 Degrees' and 'Fly (You Ain't)' still sound rude, especially the latter with Vast Aire dropping some of his outrageously clever and funny wordplay. 'Interlude' is much more than the title implies, 4 mins of eastern bass bin pounding pressure, like DJ/Rupture battling Kaman Leung. '3 Doctors' drops some blinding future abstraction lyrics from new secret emcee stars Philco, Illustrate & Verb (more material soon) over a truly genius backing. 'Air' finds Dose One lurking behind the shadows laying down his randomly abstract messages behind Edgar's low end bass, cracked beats and hissing ambience - supreme track. 'Sleep' is killer, insomniac drifting behind twisted scratched beats, dub and gently guitar melodies - sublime. 'Shut Down' even disses the CI label boss 7 while Aesop Rock drops one of his best raps to date, the chorus is legendary in my head .... 'watch your back, watch your front now - what now >> shutdown' / pure killer. After the second old school block rockin' interlude it's into the last track 'Washington Ave' one more track co-mixed by Supersoul - a seven minute melodious downtempo trip with crucial beats and genius synth tinkles - too much. Some heated business between PBO and CI means that this may well be the last joint for Chocolate. The forthcoming album 'Blastback' might address these issues in more detail later, but the intro of 'Shut Down' and some internet snooping will tell what's truly up on Edgar's tip. No mind, this is still one of the finest electronica/hip hop albums to date and makes the prospect of another fresher album soon that extra bit enticing. Mind blowin'.