Tee Double
The Growth (Mumbo Jumbo)
Rejuvenated by his experiences as a supporting act on the Cali Comm 4 tour, Austin’s Tee Double enriches his 11th album in as many years with a savvy emphasis on club bangers. Swimming in a ticklish swarm of Neptunes-inspired bass bubbles, The Growth‘s “Natural Phlow” reaches a treasured domain where songs such as Snoop’s “Drop It Like It’s Hot,” Ying Yang Twins’ “Wait,” and Young Gunz’s “Set It Off” invigorate dance floors. Claiming to have “played every instrument you hear on here on my MP,” Tee proves himself an emerging producer with an aptitude for stretching the parameters of rideable rhythms. As the disjointed loop of “Bringing It Back” tests his proficiency as an MC, Tee tackles the challenge with the calculated ingenuity of a jazz improviser, assuring that this “ain’t no fly by night flow.” While abrupt keyboard stabs urge “Walk Slowly” and “Vocal Laps” into the realms of IDM opulence, “Love Interest” and the title track bask in the soulful glee of Kanye-esque production aesthetics. Sporting endorsements from Aceyalone and Del tha Funkee Homosapien, The Growth elevates Tee Double’s artistry beyond the mundane sameness seemingly expected from such an accessible staple of the local rap scene.
This article appears in June 17 • 2005.