There’s funk to be had here. In the place where Hammond soul meets strings ’n’ swing on "Do What You Wanna Do." Behind the bounce of "Express Delivery," wrapped up in the where-did-that-come-from fantastic flow of Masta Ace. In every instrumental interlude and taut rap, the Runaways are bringing it. Chunks of funk.
If you remember hip-hop as a music you could dance to – scratch that, a music you couldn’t help but dance to – you need to buy Progress. If you miss the futuristic funk the Ultramagnetic MCs and the Bomb Squad and EPMD used to spew from their samplers, you need to buy Progress. Not that this album is retro in the slightest – like Jurassic 5’s Cut Chemist, the Runaways have found a way to revive the forgotten spirit of 1987-1989 without exhuming the corpse of the past. Progress sounds perfectly contemporary; more important it is alive, funky and fun.
The beats and scratches are not just funky, they’re dynamic, and the best tracks here have the energy of a turntablist session without turning into the tedious scratchathons so beloved of the DMC massive. Like the Beatnuts, the Runaways build tracks instead of relying on loops – a constant flow of new beats and riffs make sure that even the mellowest instrumental tracks never out-stay their welcome.
Adding funk to the fire are the four guest rappers. Iriscience of Dilated Peoples drops his usual rocksteady rhymes on "Pounds 4 Dollars," and Masta Ace’s bold return on "Express Delivery" should open some eyes. But the real surprises are the two (relative) unknowns – J-Zone waxing hilarious over the loping jazz groove of "You Don’t Understand," and Tye Phoenix making a run at Flow of the Year with her effortless "Reflections."
The album sequences the vocal tracks and instrumentals nicely, giving it the feel of a top-notch mix tape. If anything, Progress feels a little short. That’s alright, though, you’ll play it again soon enough.
If you like The Runaways UK, check out:
Various Artists The Funky Precedent
Jurassic 5 Quality Control
The Nextmen Amongst the Madness
The Ultramagnetic MCs Critical Beatdown
Jadell Gentleman of Leisure
-- jf
at a glance...
