Terradactyl

At this point in time, MC/producer combinations are a dime a dozen. Still, every once in a while, there's one that sticks out, one that reminds you why that commitment to the rhymes and beats of each other can be so powerful. The recently-signed-to-anticon duo Serengeti & Polyphonic are one such group, and Terradactyl, their second full-length, is an impressive, difficult, intelligent record that manages to be accessible, compelling, and nearly indecipherable all at once. Much, if not most, of this is thanks to Polyphonic, a talented producer who writes arrangements whose air of simplicity belies their complexity. These are intricate beats, with multiple melodic and rhythmic elements that build up and around and into one another without ever becoming messy. "Patiently," for example brings together a wet keyboard bass (as well as water sounds) with oscillating arpeggios and swells that wouldn't be too far out of place in the experimental range of '80s disco, while "Move!," uses warm Daedelus-esque synths with a looped keyboard riff underneath that echoes the quickening tension appearing in the MC's voice. Serengeti, for his own part, is an engaging rapper, the often flat, almost distant sound and cadence in his voice balancing well with the melody of the beats. He's an able rhymer who keeps himself from falling into the realm of spoken word thanks to his use of space. In the exceptional "My Negativity," he toys with the idea of self, the hook a superficially simple, seemingly repeated "My nega nega nega/My nega — ty," hiccupping out the middle two syllable in a way that conveys a sense of containment. And "Call the Law" also delves into notions of identity and control, listing off various types of "law" ("Pitchfork blogs, CNN, Sharia law" "The FBI, CIA, CCCP-USA,") while simultaneously discussing media depictions of black men. Guest stars Doseone and Buck 65 add perfectly acceptable, even good verses, and Renee-Louise Carafice, Serengeti's vocal partner in the group Yoome, proves a good foil in "Down Under the Bridge" and "Playing in Subway Stations," but this is really a two-man show, and it's the skill of the two protagonists that makes it such an undeniably excellent achievement.