El-P: Weareallgoingtoburninhellmegamixxx3
El-P might be the most illustrious producer of the underground hip hop scene. As a producer, he has produced for the biggest names in alternative hip hop including Del The Funky Homosapien, Mr. Lif, Cannibal Ox, Aesop Rock, Cage, Murs, C-Rayz Walz, and Rob Sonic among others. Weareallgoingtoburninhellmegamixxx3 is the third volume of the Weareallgoingtoburninhellmegamixxx series. The previous two volumes of Weareallgoingtoburninhellmegamixxx were only available at El-P live shows. This is the first release available to the general public; Then again, Weareallgoingtoburninhellmegamixxx3 is also the first in the series not on El-P’s label Def Jux which announced earlier this year that it will not be releasing physical products in the immediate future.
The idea behind the series was to make instrumental hip hop mix that shows off El-P’s esoteric influences. The album opens with the classically influences “Take You Out at the Ball Game”. The track sounds like something from a Wes Anderson soundtrack but it seamlessly transitions into “Whores: The Movie”. “Whores: The Movie” is a heavy glitch-pop tune similar to early Girl Talk. Other tracks show even more influences. “DMSC” features live drums that show shades of heavy metal or hard rock and the keyboards in the track remind me of RJD2. “Secret Police Man’s Ball” sounds like a dubstep track that Joker might produce.
Unfortunately not ever track is a winner. Tracks like “Drunk With a Loaded Pistol” fail to deliver. The track sounds like a Tiesto track that has been chopped-n-screwed. It’s trippy hip hop vibe just does not fit the album around it.
Overall, Weareallgoingtoburninhellmegamixxx3 is in an awkward situation. The album is basically just one long 45-minute instrumental which is not very marketable. But El-P at every step of the road has proven himself an innovative and intriguing producer. He definitely explores some new sonic territories on the album, most of the exploration is fruitful with only a few failing to delight.
Rating: 6.7/10
MP3: El-P “Secret Police Man’s Ball”
Buy: iTunes or Insound!