From Brooklyn to SF

Album Review

Dubstep — a minimalist distillation of dancehall reggae, hip-hop, techno, and various other electro-dance elements — is making slow inroads into the American market, and is frankly unlikely ever to expand beyond a boutique audience. But for those in the know, San Francisco's Kush Arora is a complex secret handshake that includes (on this album anyway) singjay Juakali, deejays Zulu, N4SA, and Blacksmith, and bhangra vocalist Gurmeet along with a handful of other guests. From Brooklyn to SF is actually a compilation of the group's singles, but it hangs together nicely as an album. Highlights include the cool and very dark-hued "Get Wet," the simultaneously swinging and rocking "Music a Mi Cultcha" (a tag-team effort by N4SA and Blacksmith), and the jittery "Finga" by Juakali. Based on the evidence offered on "Open Shop," Blacksmith needs to work a bit on expanding his vocabulary. But Gurmeet kills on the electro-bhangra-hip-hop of "Mitra De," and the darkly dubwise "Surya Dub" (which also features Gurmeet and Maneesh the Twister) is a fine track as well. Recommended.