[Review] Mux Mool "SKULLTASTE"
You may have seen Mux Mool's name on various compliations in the past. Mool's music has been featured on Adult Swim Bumps and even the TV show CSI: Miami. He has worked with alot of midwest artists (as he originally resided in Minneapolis before moving to Brooklyn, NY) like Big Quarters, P.O.S, and Prof and even indie acts like Destro, Pocket and The Lookbook. Now his full length debut album SKULLTASTE, released just yesterday on Ghostly International, will hopefully launch Mool into the position within the electronic community that is suited for someone with the amount of talent that he has.
Kibbe and I sat down and had a few listens of SKULLTASTE, our two cents complete with our new official bottle ratings are after the jump.
Rocko:
I remember I first heard of Mux Mool after listening to P.O.S' mixtape "Meat Tape Vol.2". This compilation featured alot of rocking artists but the stand out track on there was the track "Broadcasting" which featured local MPLS rapper Prof. After hearing the production, I had to hunt down the producer of the track. So through my search of "teh internetz", I discovered that Mux did the production on that track and also heard his Radiohead remix and fell in love ever since. Next thing you know, I'm buying his older works (The Drum EP, Just Saying Is All, Ghostly Swim and random tracks on compilations) and sharing them with Kibbe and got her hooked. A year later, Mux has finally releasing his debut album on Ghostly Internation and I have to tell you now, it was well worth the wait.
This album is one of the most unique electronic/alternative hip hop/instrumental album's we've heard. It has everything from 8-bit video game sounds to crazy vocoder hip hop beats. My favorite standout tracks are, Enceladus (which is very reminiscent of Daft Punk's Discovery album), Death 9000 (which is the beat used on "Broadcasting" with P.O.S. and Prof), the lead single Lady Linda, the fantastic electro 8-bit track, "Crackers" and the hip hop heavy beat, "Morning Strut".
From the awesome art that reminds me of Marble Madness to Tron and the great sounds of this album that take me back to playing NES and wanting to dance. What's there not to like about it? I do wish at times he had some features, but fuck it! Mux is showing off his chops and shown he has with Skulltaste. I honestly can't wait to see what else this guy has to pull from beneath his sleeve.
Rocko's Bottle Rating:
Kibbe:
It takes something REALLY outstanding for me to neglect the presence of lyrics in an album or songs. Having said that, Mux Mool has sucked me into his vortex of mostly lyricless songs in SKULLTASTE in a way that I didn't think I could be sucked in. During the process of listening to the album for this review I have become borderline addicted to it (not in a FRESH POTS way, of course, but close). I fall in love with a new track every time I start the album over. I've actually even started the album over from different points in the album and let it repeat back around to that track to see if it makes a difference in how the album makes you feel. The album is so solid that I really think there doesn't have to be a clear beginning and end to it, you could essentially just keep it on repeat for a couple of weeks and not realize how long you've been enjoying it.
As Rocko mentioned, the sounds in this record range nicely within the electronic spectrum. The 8-bit sounds don't come off too juvenile sounding and the album isn't drenched in vocoder. While one may be the dominant feature in certain songs, Mool has gently incorporated everything in together well enough that you don't find yourself saying, "PHEW! Glad that 8-bit song is over! That was getting a little annoying." You just continue to enjoy the ride, one track at a time. My favorite tracks of the moment are "Enceladus", "Breakfast Enthusiast", "Lady Linda", and "SFW Porn".
Kibbe's Bottle Rating:
If you haven't already, go check out the Spinner website (here) this week to catch a listen to SKULLTASTE. You will not be disappointed.
SKULLTASTE is also available on iTunes.
Overall Bottle Rating:
