- It hasn't been long since Injury Reserve first entered hip-hop's underground and yet the Arizona trio feel impossible to ignore. Self-titled debut Injury Reserve is their first release on a label and the first not distributed for free online. The group make use of previous projects as stepping stones toward a sound that's entirely their own.
Producer Parker Corey's upbeat, jazzy sampling on Live From The Dentist Office is replaced here by digital abrasion reminiscent of Floss' more experimental moments. Adding to the artificial accompaniment are subtle glitch effects buried beneath each beat, further testament to Parker's skill.
One or two tracks feature effect-laden horn samples, revisiting jazz influence in the context of a new sound. These detours add variety while also illustrating the group's artistic development. Several lyrical moments also throw back to older lines, catering to hardcore fans without alienating new ones.
If this evolution of style sounds drastic then fear not, Injury Reserve preserves the group's core formula from front to back. Tag-team MCs Stepa J Groggs and Ritchie With a T are every bit as fiercely topical and laugh-out-loud funny as we've come to expect. Most cuts contain one or two great lines but the real highlights come when every verse presents a different take on the same topic.
Lead single Jawbreaker critiques high fashion in serious style while ingenious banger Jailbreak The Tesla accurately details the possibilities of hacking into a high-tech electric car. I'm constantly blown away by the group's creative approach toward typically generic subject matter, it makes for a refreshing listen.
Touching on features briefly, it's a mixed bag of the modern underground's usual suspects. The obligatory industrial-tinged JPEGMAFIA song is an interesting detour but feels a tad token in its abrasiveness, New Hawaii on the other hand closes out with a fantastic verse from Ritchie but otherwise sounds like an extended DRAM beat.
Grogs joins Ritchie to further explore their personal lives on Best Spot In The House and What A Year It's Been. Ritchie's verse on the former dissects the guilt caused by mentioning family tragedies in his music, it's very unique emotionally and genuinely quite touching.
It's great to see Injury Reserve become more comfortable not just with each other, but their music as well. They feel more like a unified force here than ever before, a sentiment emphasised on closing track Three Man Weave. From Dentist Office to now, the group's consistency is such that choosing a favourite will mostly depend on taste.
Still, I can safely call Injury Reserve's self-titled their most polished, rounded, adventurous, and fully realised release to date.
- Boddhi Farmer.