Supercontinental

Album Review

Chris de Luca's initial reputation having been made as half of Funkstörung, it's little surprise that his subsequent effort, a collaboration with Phon.o, comes with certain expectations. But something that's enjoyable about Supercontinental isn't so much that it's a new path but how enjoyably peppy and (dare it be said) slick it is — de Luca and Phon.O aren't reinventing the wheel but they are providing a handy bed for their many vocal guests throughout the disc, and the result bears resemblance to Missy Elliott's modern-retro Under Construction. Little surprise, admittedly, given how much the ghost of Timbaland's golden age hovers over the disc. (It's perhaps appropriate that the duo recruited most of their MCs via the Net, though it's also good to hear that in general they do a solid job, even if some are clearly more inspired lyrically or vocally than others.) Right from the start, thanks to the heavy bass stabs on "I'm So Trill," things sound hyperactive and engaging. Hearing the clattering electro-era beats on "Putcha Handz Up" twisted or the gothed-out orchestral swells on "Flash Bakk" is often a derivative treat but still a thrilling one. When it comes to the guest performances, the scene stealing begins with Yo Majesty's hyperactive multiple overdubs on "Party Hardy" — the falsettos on the chorus are the icing on the cake, at once celebratory and incredibly nervous — while Tunde Olaniran's easy, breathy delivery on the title track works in a similar build-up-and-release vein. Kovas on "Dip Shorty" might win the award for the best one-off line — "S******e!...the only German word I know!" — but possibly the oddest title is "Spaceballs," with the trio of Spoek, Damaged Goods, and Cerebral Vortex hitting the slow orbital flow well enough, yet with no mention of barf or ludicrous speed.