ALBUM REVIEW: Dj Signify - Of Cities

By Tom Carbone

Today, the music industry isn't seeing many releases out of underground instrumental hip-hop. Good producers are typically collaborating with emcees so much they don't have enough time to produce and release their own solo album.

DJ Signify, a Brooklyn-based DJ and producer, specializes in a breed of glitchy instrumental hip-hop not seen anywhere else underground right now. His 2004 release, No More Sleep, featured prominent underground emcees like Buck 65 and Sage Francis, and this year's effort entitled Of Cities continues this pattern with more notable guests such as Aesop Rock and Matt Kelly. In these last five years, DJ Signify has really refined his sound and Of Cities is his best release to date.

The first sign that DJ Signify's gloomy sound hasn't left since 2004 is the very first track, appropriately titled "The Sickness." The song starts out with a heavily fuzzed-out bass and drum sample, and slowly progresses into a track more complex and industrial than expected. This first track really sets the tone for the rest of the record, as Of Cities continues this trend of a gloomy ambience throughout.

Vocals are first heard on the following track, "Low Tide," which features Definitive Jux legend Aesop Rock. Aesop's style of delivery and lyrical content compliment DJ Signify's production very nicely, and it feels and sounds like the two have been working together for years before this cut. Between Aesop's whistles and flawless flow, he asks the listener, "How low is your lowest low tide?" As mentioned earlier, Aesop's almost brash delivery feels right at home with Signify's fuzzy lo-fi production.

Clearly evident in these first two gritty tracks, this record is essential listening for a lonely, winter drive in the middle of the night. Between the spooky beats and the even spookier lyrical delivery by the guests on the record, Of Cities definitely has a place and time to be listened to. While newcomers to DJ Signify might not be immediately drawn in, a few spins of the record may change their mind. Of Cities is definitely one of those albums that is a grower and should not be dismissed right away.

Between the full tracks on the album comes a handful of "Interludes" that split the album up quite nicely. Most of them combine some static noise and sampled drum beats, but these minute-long clips let Of Cities flow in a much smoother way. These interludes are similar to skits, commonplace on modern-day rap albums.

While this release will most certainly not garner much widespread attention, it is definitely an important release in the instrumental hip-hop scene. DJ Signify has revolutionized the way producers combine their hip-hop influences with industrial and new wave elements with Of Cities. This year probably will not see very many releases in this genre, which bodes well for DJ Signify. Of Cities takes a very unique approach to production that will make it unforgettable for hip-hop heads and fans of instrumental soundscapes alike.