Dave Chamberlain

On just his ninth album since the hip-hop-defining "Planet Rock" in 1986, Bambaataa shows an uncanny appreciation for contemporary dance music and hip-hop without losing his own idiosyncrasies. Perhaps the most telling issue on the new "Dark Matter Moving at the Speed of Light" comes on the second track, "Metal," for which he recruited Gary Numan for vocals. It's a song that both nods to the past, accepts the modern, and even--in true Bambaataa fashion--nudges the worlds of electro and hip-hop a little forward. "Dark Matter" isn't a hip-hop record in the truest sense of the word, and that's to say that hardcore headz won't feel it the same way they feel Wu Tang. Instead, you could make the argument that it's more club-ready than a number of house-music singles; beats are still the bones that hold everything together, but there's also a pulse of straight "Planet Rock," a number of sample-heavy efforts and a more dance-friendly vibe. Public Enemy's Bomb Squad would be proud of "Pick Up on This," which melds together some sharp hard-soul samples while pounding the bass drum to the back of the skull.

Afrika Bambaataa spins at Smart Bar, 3730 North Clark, (773)549-0203, on October 14.

(2004-10-13)

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