Label: Makebreak Music

Release Date: fall 2003

Website: www.bellafuturo.com

Bella Futuro - Empire of Dirt
Lars Gotrich

And on the grand scale you won't believe the things I'm about to unveil.

I could've sworn "King of the World" was a lost Soul Junk track via 1955 when I first heard it. Ray Thaddeo's (ex-The Operation) rap delivery comes off like Glen Galaxy of the afore-mentioned group, but much angrier and raspier. Galaxy's rhymes have become more complex since 1955 in Soul Junk's constant evolution (deconstruction?) towards free- hip-hop. However, the rhymes here are straight-forward and violent, especially over the bass-heavy synthesizers similar to the earlier records of Gary Numan or The Human League (The Faint would be a good modern example). I hesitate to call it a gothic undertone, but it's there.

"70 x 7" relies less on the synths of the other tracks, and instead focuses on the paranoid apocalyptic ravings of Thaddeo. It comes to points of maniacal screaming. The live drums here fill the background nicer than a drum machine, and when synths do appear they explode fiercely.

Empire of Dirt is a decent debut EP for Bella Futuro, one that needs refinements perhaps in the production and musicality (let's hear some hooky synth lines, yo), but whose MC skills certainly evoke a panicked urgency meant to be heard.

posted 12.19.03

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Lars is a viking. He is also the music editor for Tangzine. E-mail him kisses at lars59@uga.edu

2003 White Elephant Productions