Description
Above the Ground is the fourth album by the American hip-hop duo Dynamic Twins (Noel and Robbie Arthurton), released on Metro One Recordings in 1997, distributed by Diamante in the US.
If Dove Awards were given for Least Flattering Recorded Music Packaging, hip-hop act Dynamic Twins would win for the utterly blah design on its fourth album, ‘Above the Ground’. Hiding in that non-descript package however is music by an act that seems to have finally found a happy medium between its New York roots and the influences of California, its home for some time.
Twins Noel and Robbie Arthurton cut West Coast mannerisms down to basics and add uncommon ingredients to re-invent a style in peril of going stale. But some things aren’t about to change so drastically, like Dynamic Twins’ deceptively mush-mouthed but edgy rhyme cadence.
In other ways, however, the brothers still offer surprises. When was the last time you heard an African-American rap act use flamenco-styled guitar? The Twins do on «Dying to Live», among other cuts. Equally as cool is the use of obnoxious brass-sounding keyboards, normally found in much current black gospel, with a slightly industrial flair on the album’s apocalyptic prologue.
With new sounds and old, the Twins’ gift for stream-of-consciousness rapping remains a strong point. It comes across playfully on the loungin’ scenarios related in «Relaxin’». Sorrow for sins also comes to play in «Laughter & Tears». A call for believers to take their faith seriously gets innovative treatment as Dynamic Twins team up with Kenosha/Waukegan’s (both cities in Wisconsin) gospel acid jazz rap troupe Soulfood Live on the closing «Critical Styles».
Dynamic Twins’ minimalist musical approach on ‘Above the Ground’ works most of the time, though in a couple of places it sounds simply underproduced. Yet throughout the project, Dynamic Twins’ hearts are as tender as its music is tough on ‘Above the Ground’. Now about those graphics…. [Jamie Lee Rake, CCM, May 1997]
CD tracklist:
01. Untitled
02. H.G. Funk
03. Ways Of Cain
04. Laughter & Tears
05. Ready Or Not
06. Relaxin’
07. The Blood Cries
08. Little Robert Anthem
09. Above The Ground
10. Dying To Live
11. I’ll Be There
12. Critical Styles (feat. Soul Food Live)
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