Them Get You...Them Got You

This isn't necessarily the kind of album one would expect out of a fisherman from Maine, but JD Walker treads the path of experimental lo-fi rap quite successfully. With help from producer Sole, Walker and a series of guest rappers spout moody stream-of-consciousness vocals over dark musical loops. The result is somewhat unsettling at times and not that far removed from the fractured terrain of Themselves, as Walker paints in tones and themes that seamlessly blend cultures and genres. His own voice is a somewhat countrified, bluesy instrument, but it doesn't seem out of place among the more urban accents of his collaborators. Indeed, in this hybrid genre that blends together rap with rock where more commercial acts have historically been stilted by political correctness and spoon-fed messages, Walker takes a more personal, compelling stance. Offering up autobiographical and sometimes goofy wordplay over decent IDM beats and often melodic guitar passages, Walker's music gives voice to an urban Maine fisherman. As a slice of life and a piece of musical fusion, Them Get You...Them Got You is never less than interesting.