Terror Danjah: Undeniable

Terror Danjah
Undeniable
Rating: Grrrr

One of the godfathers of grime, Terror Danjah has been making music for over 10 years but has yet to release a full length album (which seems to be a badge of honor for those in the electronic music field these days).  After releasing many singles over the years on the Planet Mu label, Terror Danjah debuts his first full length Undeniable on the stalwart dubstep label Hyberdub.  I was a bit skeptical at first, seeing as most of the non-traditional dubstep artists that have released albums on Hyperdub have completely changed tracks and released music not in keeping with the reasons why I liked them in the first place.  Some have led to very pleasant surprises, as in Darkstar's switch to dense, layered synthpop, and others have led to severe disappointment, such as Ikonika's neutered house/dubstep tracks.  Terror Danjah thankfully falls into the surprise category, delivering a release bursting at the seams with different styles, yet sounding distinctly like himself.

Probably the biggest surprise is Danjah's reliance on singers/rappers for the album.  In the past, he has primarily been an instrumental artist, letting his tracks ride by dense with noise and intricate background sounds.  What's amazing here is how well the vocal contributions work in the context of his soundscapes.  Whether it be the opening hip-hop rap of "Grand Opening" featuring rapper Dream Mclean, or the grime meets acid tracks of "This Year" with D.O.K., Mz. Bratt and Griminal,



the electro whip lash of "Breaking Bad" with Baby Face Jay, or even the almost modern R&B of "All I Wanna" with Lauren Mason, each adds to the track rather than being a distraction.



Of course, Terror Danjah doesn't forgo the instrumentals he is known for.  He looks back into the past and provides a modern take on acid house with the whiplash beats and synths of "Acid."



Provides a more melodic take on dubstep/house with the wobbly bass and frenetic programming of "Bruzin V.I.P."



And puts together one of my favorite tracks of the year, "S.O.S.," that is frustrating in its genius; propelling the 8 + minute track with a minimal drum track and almost water torture precise synth stabs.  Just when you can't take the onslaught of electronics anymore, he brings it down to earth with a heavenly deep house coda.



I'm sure grime, house, and dubstep purists will balk at this album seeing as it strays all over the map.  But I believe if he had stuck to one style throughout Undeniable, it would have blunted its profound impact.   The range he shows and willingness to step outside his comfort zone is laudable, and the fact that he masters each style illuminates his brilliance.  On the basis of Undeniable, here is hoping more artists are willing to change things up for the better.

Rating Guide

Chilfos: masterpiece; coolest thing I've heard in ages.

Woof Daddy: excellent; just a hair away from being a masterpiece.

Grrrr: very good; will definitely be considered for my top albums of the year.

Yeah Daddy Make Me Want It: good; definitely invites further listens and peaks one's interest for more material.

Meh: not horrible, but certainly not great; could have either been trimmed or polished.

Jeez Lady: what the hell happened? Just plain bad. They should hang their heads in shame and be forced to listen to Lady Gaga ad nauseam as penance.

Tragicistani: so bad, armed villagers with pitchforks and torches should run the artist out of the country for inflicting this abomination on the human race.