You've likely already heard: The Mix Up comprises a dozen "post-rock," dub, or "post-whatever" instrumental tracks. As every b-boy knows, the Beastie Boys take their chops seriously, inserting instrumentals between the kinetic rhyme schemes that earned (and have kept) fans listening for the past two decades. Nothing wrong with live instrumentation in rap (see: the Roots) or flat-out instrumental hip-hop (hello Madlib or pre-indie rock RJD2), but the Beastie Boys were given a license to ill, not to make generic punk-funk.
Like the trio's past rap 'n' sample-free work (revisit The In Sounds From Way Out!, if you will),The Mix Up finds Mike D, MCA, and Adrock (with Money Mark's keys and percussionist Alfredo Ortiz) treading water in a realm dozens do better.One shift: The predominant mode is often less '70s soul-jazz, more outer-realms cocktail spy music (see "Suco De Tangerina") or mellow-ass post-Slits/P.I.L. dub minus the spy (see "The Gala Event").But, um, why vocal silence now? Who knows, maybe they ran out of things to say about Tibet.
Even if they aren't talking, seem like they're digging the Big Apple. Picking up To The 5 Boroughs' map of New York City, "14th St. Break" lays kraut-rocky drums, outer-space organs, and phased guitar over tambourine until the official "break," a cowbell and tooting gym-class whistle. Or, how about the two songs with "rat" intheir titles: Sexy, organ-sliding "The Rat Cage" (is that a rat squeak in the back?) and raucous jingle-belling "The Kangaroo Rat" (OK, not officially indigenous to NYC ? but fun song nonetheless).
Finding a theme is pushing things, but by the time the mid-point, mid-paced funk of "Freaky Hijiki" creaks into place (shakers, hand drums, human bird-whistling) the most enjoyable thing to do is to start imagining these sorta specious connections. That, or to tag the different sounds that pop-up within the framework: Whoa sitar! Bongos! Is that Moog? Never thought "The Cousin Of Death" would come armed with such fuzz-crunch!
On a more positive note "Freaky Hijiki"'s followed by the album's first single, "Off The Grid," the most dynamic track on the record: Great room chatter, rattling percussion, fluid bass line, another dose of guitar phase. The unexpected lift ought to wake you up a bit to check out what follows: Basically adequate background music for when you're doing something else, like reminiscing about Paul's Boutique, or placing the needle down on a James Brown record.
The MIx-Up is out 6/26 on Capitol.
