Sacrifices by Prefuse 73

アルバム·レビュー： Sacrifices - Prefuse 73

A figure of abstract hip-hop, Prefuse 73 has worked tirelessly for eleven years with Warp, releasing eight albums, among which the excellent One Word Extinguisher in 2003 (with the gem Storm Returns). And yet, the prestigious label from Sheffield slammed its door on his face in 2011, telling him coldly that his contract would not be renewed. After this, Guillermo Scott Herren, somewhat disoriented, first joined people like him, getting closer to the Los Angeles Beat scene carried by Flying Lotus and his label Brainfeeder—his heirs, then. He also launched a label, Yellow Year, with Nosaj Thing, supposed to release his works with Californian newcomers, but the affair came to a sudden end. Sweet irony, he has now signed with Lex Records, created in 2001 as a subdivision of… Warp, and which has become independent in 2005 with the release of Danger Mouse’s and MF Doom’s wonderful album, The Mouse and the Mask.

On the 17 tracks of this Sacrifices (is there a hint of bitterness in this title?), you will find the fundamentals of Prefuse 73: cut-ups, syncopated beats, hacked samples and superimposed layers, showing once again that without vocals, hip-hop is a style of electric music like every other. Late to Party and the hypnotic Without Anyone (with his highly filtered voice which seems to moan “Kanye, Kanye”) bring us back to the finest hours of Ninja Tune and to Blockhead’s sound mosaics while Her Desire Is to Be Left Alone steps on the noise toes of Jackson and His Computer Band, the Frenchie from Warp. But it is well and truly the only “aggressive” title in this smooth disc that is intended to be listened to like a mixtape. You will let yourself be carried on a cushion, but always with your ears open: the complexity of the productions of Prefuse 73, which fully uses the capabilities of stereo, will always leave you something new to discover on your next listening session. It’s not surprising that we have been listening to it on a loop then. ©Smaël Bouaici / Qobuz