Product description International products have separate terms, are sold from abroad and may differ from local products, including fit, age ratings, and language of product, labeling or instructions. .co.uk Few independent labels have grown so quickly and potently in recent years as New York's underground hip-hop imprint Def Jux. Definitive Jux Presents II is that rarest of artefacts; a label showcase album that's consistent, cohesive and utterly exciting. Listening to Def Jux has all the frisson of being inducted into a secret society, where hip-hop is both erudite and brutal, immediate and experimental, a true street art. 2001's opening volley Def Jux Presentswas notable for the brilliant last recordings of the legendary Company Flow and, unsurprising, since that band's El-P owns the label. El-P dominates this volume, producing nearly half of the tracks and starring on two. One of these, "Stepfather Factory", is the apotheosis of the Def Jux style: a dense, fierce fuzz with lyrics whose sci-fi turns of phrase never weaken their emotional punch. There's nothing here from the label's other heavy hitters, Cannibal Ox, although Vast Aire does crop up alongside El-P and as part of the Atoms Family collective. The new stars this time are elegant DJ Shadow-style samplescaper RJD2, baroque battle rhymer Y@k Ballz, and ultra-sharp Boston MC Mr Lif, who manages to namecheck Harry Potter and Troy MacLure on "Sneak Preview". This is odd, vivid, 100 per cent compulsive stuff. --John Mulvey
H**S
Dissapointing......much better def jux releases available.
I, myself am especially fond of the majority of the artists representing the def jux camp; in particular artists such as el-p, cannibal ox, mr lif, etc. so was madd excited at the release of this collection, especially as atoms family featured aswell (a group complied of cannibal ox, alaska, wind & breeze, etc).However, that eerie futuristic style that is epitomized by almost every def jux release has been taken to an annoyingly cacophonic level. A number of the hooks are actually sung by some irritatting robotic sounding computer itself. I enjoyed greatly the company flow presents....def jux volume 1 release, which showcased splendidly the def jux roster.This album however seems as if the artists just threw together some venemous, computer processed track, for the sake of getting their names on the album. A fine example of this is in the track titled 'paper mache' by masai bey, which would make a distinguished sound track to un-bearable nightmare.However, the album has it's highlights, namely the instrumental track by RJD2. El-p also resurects the album substantially with 'the stepfather factory', which is a relatively ardent track for the notoriously noxious def jux camp.This album does not live up to the heightly standards set by def juxes pioneers namely can ox, el-p, mr lif, aesop rock, or even def jux presents... volume 1. However, if you rejoice at every def jux release, it's probably worth it for the el-p and RJD2 tracks........peace!
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