BBU Jukin on Landmines

Once you pay the proverbial toll and get over the fact that BBU stands for 'Bin Laden Blowin Up', you get access to a Chicago hip-hop group voted "Best New Musical Group" in the Chicago Reader. Earlier this month the group released their album 'Fear Of A Clear Channel Planet' for free: it's an amazingly generous thing to do, regardless of the quality of the album. They hit some moderate press coverage off the strength of "˜Chi Don't Dance', but in my opinion the album tracks begin to obscure it after a few listens.

Like a raucous Kanye West infatuated with electro samples (see "˜BBU n' Philip Mo' and "˜C.H.I.C.A.G.O'), BBU have developed a really great niche in turbulent Juke-house rhythms. Highlight "˜Jukin' on Landmines' messes around with a disturbing slowed down voice and a two second sample of chanting girls to create an instantly catchy, trashy dance gem. "˜Somebody Watchin' Me' is"¦yes, Rockwell, with not much of the original version touched, and the chorus fairly predictably kept in between rhymes. In general, this is an album that flows and hits a fun, infectious spot. Sleigh Bells with rapping; chanting 'Go! Team' style.