Search - DJ Rupture :: Special Gunpowder

Underwhelming debut from an overwhelming talent

J HADFIELD | Nagoya, Japan | 11/10/2004

(3 out of 5 stars)

"As a turntablist, DJ Rupture is up there with the brightest talents of his generation, charting hidden links between all manner of different genres - from reggae to raga, Dead Prez to drill'n'bass. His is a heady brew of unexpected stylistic juxtapositions, so - in some ways - it's hardly surprising that his debut album as a recording artist, "Special Gunpowder", should be so darn eclectic itself. Rupture flits all over the place: one minute dancehall, the next Latin House, then it's on to dub, trip hop, electronica and some cracked folk that wouldn't have sounded out of place on the "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" soundtrack. Impressive enough, but Rupture falls short of making any of the genres he dabbles in his own - what's sorely lacking is any unifying voice and, though the tracks on offer are consistently competent, they're seldom remarkable. It's ironic: while there's no doubting Rupture's abilities, he's a lot more distinctive when spinning other people's records than when he's playing his own."