Spectre
"The End"
(Wordsound)
Now remember, when I say this disc is "ill-conceived" that's meant as a compliment. More psychedelic than Wu Tang and less commercial than any of the generic rap that's been pawned off on the latest generation of urban youth, Spectre generates bass-heavy passion plays with an extremely firm moral center. Here, Spectre is exerting complete control on the final installment of a quasi-conceptual trilogy he began with "The Illness" and continued with the ever-so-blunted "Second Coming." While guest rappers like Sensational, Mr. Dead and God Albino all help to set a mood of modern dread, Spectre himself never relinquishes his hold on this dark, prophetic vision thing. The beauty here is most often found in Spectre's unusual production values. Dangling piano chords, wordless ghost vocals and subliminal flourishes of percussion and brass, Spectre's house is literally filled with nightmarish soundbites and recurring samples. With brittle, freakish incantations spawned from the mouths of demented art freaks and emotionally stunted hash addicts, Spectre warns us of the inevitable Armageddon and other assorted street hassles. That said, Spectre's doomsday predictions are offset by obtuse-yet-logical Wordsound productions including "High Plains Drifter," Ye Of Little Faith" and "The Rapture." Naturally, instrumentals like "Bottom Feeder" are state-of-the-art mindfucks with plenty of rhythmic pizzazz.
by Mitch Myers
copyright 1999 New City Communications, Inc.