MSTRKRFT – Fist of God
Downtown Records (3/24/09)
Electronic (Electro house)
I cannot tell a lie. I knew nothing about MSTRKRFT before hearing this album. My first thought was that of a mad rapper. Looking at the track listing from Fist of God further encouraged my naivete—Ghostface Killah, Freeway, and oh, Mr. Superthug himself, N.O.R.E. I was all amped up and ready to hear some new mad lyricist. But I was definitely in for a surprise.
However, I enjoyed my listening experience. It was uncharted territory for me. I was in a daze from the production. Something about the mix of house and electro just makes you want to take off all your clothes and dance. It also has a little alt-rock edge, and with rappers such as E-40 and singer Lil’ Mo there is definitely something for everyone.
One of the standout tracks is “Heartbreaker” featuring John Legend; that guy is proving himself to be much more than a soul-singing machine and this song confirms that. And a personal favorite is “1000 Cigarettes”, featuring the raunchy Freeway, who does not sell out for the production, and holds on to his street-like tone; you’ll be glad you let Roc-A-Fella and MSTRKFRT in your house. The first track with Lil’ Mo and the very danceable “Bounce” are almost pop, but with an electro edge. Even if the overall electro sound isn’t quite to your liking, these two songs just might hook you.
The flow of the album also enhances the listening experience, as one track seems to flow into the next, allowing no time to regroup as you go from E-40’s comical style of rhyming on “Click Click” to Ghostface on “Word Up”. There is no guessing who you might hear next, as the randomness of it all makes it a delight to listen to.
Fist of God does not fit snugly into any one category, as it’s just all over the place with guest artists. And honestly, there are no real filler tracks that need to be skipped or suffered through just to get to the next really good song. This album will do anything but put you to sleep, and you won’t walk away feeling like you listened to 11 songs on FM radio, which is always a perk. But, be warned, you might wake up humming “you’re in my heart”—kind of infectious.
