Scroobius Pip – Distraction Pieces
Scroobius Pip’s work with Dan Le Sac has produced some of the finest hip hop of the past 10 years but listening to Pip’s 2007 debut “No Commercial Breaks” often left me wondering what the end product would be like if he were to vary up the producers behind the desk once more. Well, I need wonder no longer as his second solo outing “Distraction Pieces” has arrived.
With a mini whirlwind of hype surrounding debut single “Introdiction”, the bar was set high and second single “Let Em Come” maintained the adrenaline rush and threw Sage Francis into the mix.
The singles however only tell a fraction of the story and for the complete picture, “Distraction Pieces” deserves your full attention. With a variety of producers at the controls, ranging from Renholder (Nine Inch Nails, Puscifer etc) to Steve Mason and Richard Russell of XL fame, you’d possibly expect the overall feel to be a little scatty. You’d be wrong however and the atmosphere running throughout the piece is sustained by Pip’s flawless delivery and intelligent lyricism.
The pace is pretty much kept up for two thirds of the album before you hit the best track on the album and possibly one of Pip’s finest moments to date – the Steve Mason produced “The Struggle”. Dealing with the strangeness of fame and setting it to a groove that leans heavily on “Personal Jesus”, it’s an absolutely brilliant track.
Scroobius Pip – The Struggle
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The album closes with two slightly melancholy tracks and leaves you hungry for more as all the best long players do.
The album’s available now everywhere but we’d heartily recommend you pick it up at fairsharemusic where 50% of the shop’s profits go directly to charity.
