CD Review
Artist: Mud Sun
Album: Mine the Gap
Label: Lit Fuse Records 

Reviewed By: Isabel Lau (Vancouver Correspondent - Canada) 

It may be hard to fathom the idea of intelligent rap while songs about bling and booty constantly infiltrate the radio and television. Dig past the pile of sexist and ignorant claims to fame by mainstream artists like Young Jeezy, Lil Wayne and good ol' 50 cent, and you'll be lucky to find the new alternative hip hop group Mud Sun. Dizraeli and Baba Brinkman are two talented MCs originating from the UK and Vancouver, respectively, that make up Mud Sun's original sound. They are true artists who use their tongue-in-cheek humor to paint intricate rhymes about anything from girls to Guantanamo Bay in a clever way that will have the listener pumped and even smiling at times. Engaging the audience in a way that makes them feel like they could break-dance when they may not know how to (and as such probably shouldn't) is indeed the intention of true "backpack rap."  

Just like any first-rate rappers, Mud Sun clearly conveys confidence in their cadence as they barely pause for breath between rhymes. These skills have been established in the UK as Dizraeli has won the BBC Radio National Slam Championship and Baba Brinkman has also earned awards for his one-man rap theater show, The Rap Canterbury Tales.  

The first track, "Mine The Gap", rightly introduces Mud Sun's sound as "abstract expressionist rap". Although their style is a clear and appreciated deviation from mainstream stuff like "Lollipop" by Lil Wayne, their catchy and inventive backbeats make them user-friendly for a wide range of listeners. Those who like Sweatshop Union will find certain similarities in style with Mud Sun. Tracks like "Fried Rice", my personal favorite, feature an amazing electric guitar and great soul vocals by Aaron Nazrul while "Tongue and Groove" contrasts edgy lyrics against what sounds like an orchestra. This experimental amalgamation is by no means amateur. The track "Louder" suggests that Mud Sun is angry at the world but not in a dysfunctional kill-my-wife way. Instead they show they are not afraid to comment on the atrocities of war and go even farther by encouraging our sleepy consciences to get out of bed, speak out and get louder.

"Mine The Gap" - 4:22

"Fried Rice" (feat. Aaron Nazrul) - 5:06

"How it is" - 3:33

"Tongue N Groove" - 4:27

"Louder" - 3:29