Album Reviews

Big Dada

Following the release of some highly acclaimed twelve inches and mix compilations, experimental beat-making producer Kutmah, real name Justin McNulty, finally unleashes his long-overdue debut album. The Revenge of Black Belly Button ( TROBBB!) finds the West Coast-based producer collaborating with an impressive list of the beat movement’s most revered artists, with the likes of Gonjasufi, Jonwayne, Jeremiah Jae and Force Funk all contributing amongst others. A rich and diverse palette of over 31 tracks occupies a record that is as expansive as it is experimental and immersive. Touching on hip-hop, industrial, jazz, dub, punk, rock, new wave, psychedelia and bass-driven electronic music, McNulty manages to sew disparate styles into a coherent and fascinating tapestry of exciting sounds. Deconstructing his vast influences, he merges intoxicating rhythms with dusty beats, grainy textures, experimental vocals and futuristic synths to create an unpredictable and ever-evolving soundscape. Despite its vigor and liveliness, it is TROBBB!’s ability to sink deep into the abstract, the leftfield and the improvised that really delights. Beautifully offbeat, wonderfully creative and individual until the last, this is a highly ambitious project that is pulled off with confidence and swagger. A musician whose artistic vision feels clear and concise despite its allencompassing nature, Kutmah is one of the most innovative and influential producers of the moment.