Anti-Pop Consortium

Anti-Pop Consortium

Like Warp, which put out 2002's Arrhythmia, the Ninja Tune/Big Dada family always encouraged the union of hip-hop and electronica. The London label gave New York's Anti-Pop Consortium free rein to turn the knobs and hype up the bizarre on Fluorescent Black, the New York foursome's first album since Arrhythmia. After almost eight years, APC couldn't jump back in too soon. Every aspect of this disc is delivered with blinding urgency, from the hook of "C Thru U" to the pseudo-prayer delivered toward the end of "Reflections." MCs High Priest, M. Sayyid, and Beans haven't lost a step in wordplay ("Dow Jones maneuverin'. King Kong, I'm losin' him. Bloomberg: pursuin' him. Plotting my escape with a bitch in my hand, the Empire State"). Beat engineer Earl Blaize bounces off the wall sonically ("Volcano," "Timpani"). It's a long time coming, but APC left no stone unturned. (Fri., the Independent @ 501 Studios, 12mid.)