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De La Soul - Are You In?
| Pitchfork |
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Perhaps owing to the lingering psychic scars of forced laps in middle school, I don't run. I'm admitting that up front, not as some sort of badge of lazy-ass pop critic pride, but because I've been tasked to review the latest entry in semi-sinister conglomerate/occasional patron of the arts Nike's Original Run series. This time it's De La Soul, using a late-career corporate sponsorship opportunity to both reaffirm their existence and provide an all-new soundtrack for a 45-minute jog. So caveat emptor for all our fitness-minded readers: I can judge the efficacy of Are You In? only in contexts other than the one intended. But if you, too, are more inclined toward being, well, inclined, know that Are You In? is also an entertaining, intermittently unexpected, and only occasionally unflattering addition to the De La Soul catalog, more or less enjoyable whatever your attitude toward physical exertion. Despite the longest wait yet between De La full-lengths, the trio sounds agreeably engaged, approaching the project less as a formally constricted commission and more as a chance to explore what dancefloor hip-hop might mean in a post-techno world....full text |
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| Sputnikmusic |
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It's really no secret: some of the most creative beats right now are coming out of Michigan's motor-city, influencing the entire midwest and hip-hop as a whole into the next decade. Now that the generic introduction that could be said of 94.38% of all Detroit-style productions is out of the way, enter De La Soul. An icon of the Golden Age, conscious hip-hop revolutionaries, and a driving force of the genre for more than a decade, they take on a precarious mantle: Nike's latest mixtape masterminds. Does commercial sellout status really befit such legendary figures? Well, yes - Are You In? (yes Nike marketing team you can keep your jobs, we get it, R-U-N) is a fitting foray into the "workout rap" genre. The beats are energetic, the trio is as lyrically fresh as ever, and the compositions are perfectly tailored to working those intervals right. Surprisingly enough, the slightly faster average BPM of the tape suits De La's flow, especially coupling their typical jazz-influenced, horn-laden backdrop with prototypical midwestern production. While repetition sets in with stationary listens (a few of these tracks are about three to four minutes too long), that's exactly the idea behind the tape; this is an organism that grows. "Rise and Shine" is a disjointed shot of espresso (produced by the D's Young RJ) that readies the prospective rapthlete for a "Good Morning", a fitting electronica transition and focus-builder. Dynamic, and largely concerned with gear-shifting, the workout builds from the boom-bap of "Big Mouf", through the tension-inducing "Attack of the Stet", and "Pick[s] Up The Pace" with a jazzy old- meets new-school vibe, where Pos Plug Won performs admirably as chief composer. This is all preparation for the apex interval one-two punch of Maseo- and Flosstradamus-produced "Greedy Man" and "We O.D.", respectively, kicking the mix to its highest point of energy. Some cool-down "Victory Laps", a chill "Forever" later, and the R-U-N is over....full text |
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| Popmatters |
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Nike’s running mixes have certainly grown from what originally appeared to be artist-at-the-helm mixes. From Aesop Rock to LCD Soundsystem, a fair amount of reputable rappers and producers, or both, have tackled the idea of throwing together what is half concept record and half continuous compilation. Either way, they all have the same goal. The point of these mixes is to, with the help of music, make the listener hit the ground running. Sure, there is a fiscal side to it as well. But the idea that artists are coming together to create sometimes-original efforts with the idea of making people exercise is somewhat inspiring. And it’s certainly refreshing at a time when there is a plethora of unhealthy advertisements everywhere you turn. Sure, you might see a Vitamin Water spot here and there, but what sticks in your mind? Dancing lizards and guys in white dancing outfits or the Burger King and his ladies dancing to a remix of “Baby Got Back” aimed at children? If you guessed the King, you win. Don’t take this as a PSA, though, but more as just the truth of it all. But enough preaching about childhood obesity, or obesity in general. Interestingly enough, at least one of these Nike+ mixes garnered enough attention to be more than just an iTunes-only purchase. And that was LCD Soundsystem’s 45:33, which was later released on vinyl and CD. Unfortunately, even though it is enjoyable, it’s doubtful that De La Soul’s Are You In? will receive the same treatment. The 45-minute single continuous track is a blend of all new tracks, something that we can all certainly be excited about. And that is further accentuated by the fact that the Plug’s last original effort was 2006’s The Impossible: Mission TV Series - Pt. 1, which featured some already-released tracks like “Wasn’t For You (Remix)” off Handsome Boy Modeling School’s White People....full text |
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