I’m a big fan of Amon Tobin – Foley Room is probably my favorite all-time album. It’s not reggae, maybe it’s barely dub in the most technical sense, but it’s just damn good. Amon Tobin made a name for himself in the early drum n bass days for his slick productions that effortlessly blended latin rhythms with drum n bass rhythms and catchy break beats. With Foley Room he went all out, skipping album samples and instead composing and recording his own music mixed with samples of sounds from factories, streets, and his own weird creations. The whole album is a trip.

So then along comes Two Fingers, his new production partnership with Joe “Doubleclick” Chapman. Being a slave to the Tobin, I of course pick up their new eponymous album (which includes vocals from MOBO-winner Sway) and give it a listen. The premise is simple: be the next Timbaland by applying massive production skills to talented MCs. Should be a no-brainer, right? Here’s what their press release warned us about:

“Two Fingers” is a project unlike anything that any of the three main players has ever made before, a unique, utterly uncompromising, brutal and beautiful record that could only have grown out of the UK and the internationalism of those involved. If it’s not hip hop as we know it, then nor is it drum & bass or grime. Like all the best music it transcends genre to stand on its own – icy, transcendent, brilliant.

And it does promise to be insane. Here’s the first track, Straw Men – if you’re a hip hop fan I think you’ll see what I mean:

Nice, right? After hearing only the first track, I immediately loaned the album to a friend to give it a listen, promising him he was about to hear something completely new. Then I sat down to hear the rest for myself… well, let’s just say the release date must’ve been rushed, because when I asked my friend what he thought of Two Fingers, he replied “they sorta blew their load on that first track, didn’t they?” Yep, I have to admit that it’s true: after Straw Men, things taper off pretty quickly into sub-standard productions and lyrics for the duration. The whole production feels more like some really talented artists playing around and getting a feel for the space rather than crafting another masterpiece worthy of Amon Tobin’s legacy.

Enter Ce’Cile

Well, nothing brightens a day like a beautiful woman (that’s what I think every time I see my wife anyway), and fortunately Ce’Cile arrives to brighten things up on the 8th track, Bad Girl. Bad Girl is a great showcase of the Jamaican dancehall vocalist’s talent, bringing some sexiness to an album at risk of becoming a soundboard exercise. Tobin and Doubleclick really shine here, as their textured beats become a duet with Ce’Cile’s clear, playful vocal tones. The producers’ counterpoint tones carry the dark, grungy melody that’s perfect for dancing or just chilling out with the lights low.

ParisDJs.com has posted some links to download a compiliation of tracks including the original version, Sway’s version, and 2 remixes that somehow manage to be even darker, from King Cannibal and UK dancehall/dubstep producer The Bug. You can also get a copy of the track from The Bug on Passion of the Weiss.

Ce’Cile Bad Girl video from Two Fingers

Find more Two Fingers

If you dug the track, don’t take my word for it as far as the rest of the album – give them a chance and a listen. Pitchfork has called the album “apocalyptic slash-and-burn rap futurism, with 1999-vintage Timbo as spirit animal,” which sounds pretty good to me, so maybe I’m just not ready for Tobin’s forays into dubstep and dancehall. You can find more Two Fingers at any of these links:

• twofingersmusic.com
• myspace.com/2wofingers

And also check out:

• King Cannibal’s blog: godsofwar.wordpress.com
• myspace.com/kingcannibal
• myspace.com/thebuguk

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