Album Review: Broken by Cut Beetlez and DeLa Forte

 

Broken

By

Cut Beetlez & DeLa Forte

 

In all the years I have been doing these reviews the most innovative music a have heard to date comes from the duo from Finland, The Cut Beetlez. These guys, DJ J-Man and HP Lovescratch, just seem to embody what it is to be Hip Hop whilst also being experimental in pretty much everything they do and one of their most recent offerings Broken, which features Viginia USA emcee DeLa Forte, is no exception.

I’m just gonna get right into this one and take you on a descriptive journey across 11 tracks of whatever the Cut Beetlez and DeLa Forte have cooked up for us…

 

The album kicks off with a beat that seems fractured in its mix of jazz samples, drums and cut up white noise/vinyl hiss, that is Fibonacci, you may not be sure of this at first but, very quickly it spirals through your awareness, like a true Fibonacci spiral, and you find yourself enjoying it. DeLa Forte speaks here and basically introduces himself to the listener. As the track ends you find yourself, once more, drawn into a strangely enjoyable mix of samples from far east music, big band, and ukulele, yeah it might sound like none of this works but, the Cut Beetlez make it work. There is no time to sit back and even contemplate what’s coming next as sparse drums, organ notes and guitars bring a laid-back funk fuelled sound. Rashad Sun joins DeLa Forte for Haters, which see’s them speak on those people who chose to hate on you for whatever reason, people who will speak down to you, be disrespectful and only want to see you fail. These are the people who seek failure in other because of the unacknowledged pain in their own lives, and so they can’t bear to see others succeed. A jazzy  trumpet and piano intro allow us to slide into Jazz and Violence, where the word broken is cut up, rapid drums pop up and there is this scratched record vibe which serves to create a fractured, even broken sound. DeLa Forte drops some rapid-fire lyrics that flow even though they appear to be the violence to the music’s jazz but, his words are only violent in their delivery and not in their content, at least that is what it seems.

Plastic drops with a sound and flute notes that almost seems to cause pressure in your mind, bells and electronic sounds add to that mind-numbing aspect, which seems to be bringing your mind into a strange focus. That focus is sharpened more as DeLa Forte slowly speaks all things that are around us that have no real substance, including those people who propose to be more than they are and mould a plastic mask for themselves, one that can easily be broken. An 8-Bit sound, horns, drums, claps, and vocal samples bring a more light-hearted sound with Merci, this one just seems to bring a smile to your face as you listen. DeLa Forte drops a few bars on what it is to be thankful for the things and people in your life. Next, it’s time to heat things up a little bit and get Spicy. The drums and sampled sounds seem to almost fizz through your awareness, sitting there just as the heat from a spicy chilli stays in your mouth. DeLa Forte gets laid-back and spicy on this one too, bringing a little extra heat to proceedings. Once more the Cut Beetlez add even more spice to the track which ends with some freaky sonic sounds and some WTF lyrics…

Having pretty much baked your head so far, the Cut Beetlez bring a little instrumental pallet cleanser your way. Piano, drums, rapid vocal samples, and record skip sounds on Broken Ship, bring a chilled vibe, in a way, but one that still keeps your mind sharp, wondering what’s coming next. Scareligious is what’s coming next, with strings, laid-back drums, and some seriously razor-sharp cuts. There is a chilled edge to this one, which is almost juxtaposed by those razor-sharp cuts slicing into your awareness. Over this we have DeLa Forte dropping a single verse where he muses on life, the kinda place your mind goes to when you’re at peace and in deep thought. Next is another instrumental track, Horny Skip brings horns, drums, bass, and record skips, to hit on some jazzy soundtrack vibe. There is this feeling that you are suspended somewhere between a big action piece and the threat of an approaching unknown that is creeping up on you…

If the Cut Beetlez intended you to feel like something was just around the corner then it the penultimate track, Bless The Child. The sound has a more funk feel to it with cymbals, piano, record skips and some soulful choral vocals, it all brings a slightly laid-back vibe. DeLa Forte is joined by Bobby Craves where each drops a single verse that appears to be speaking on the ups and downs of life and being able to stand strong in the face of adversity. The album ends on a short instrumental Skip Out, where piano, bass and record skips merge with speed and sound changes to form a chilled vibe that essentially skips you out of the album…

It never ceases to amaze me how the Cut Beetlez are able to pack so much into not much more than 20 mins. It will probably take you longer to read this than it will to listen to Broken but, what you will find is that those 20 mins will seem like a whirlwind where you will be picked up and whirled around in some experimental, alternate Hip Hop reality, before being calmly placed back into this 3D world wondering what you just heard, did it all make sense and should you listen again, just to make sure…

Overall, this is one of those you just want to sit back and listen to, just so that you can fully immerse yourself in the sonic, jazz funk, Hip Hop trip that is this Broken. Because Broken might feel like an alternate reality but, at the same time it can feel like sitting in a Smokey club enjoying the music while sipping your favourite tipple and musing on life around you. You can try and put your finger on exactly what’s going on here but, I would advise you just enjoy the sound, enjoy the words, and let it take you where it takes you, don’t think to much about it. I tried that, and now I’m sat in my loft room with a hoodie on shutting the world out as I try to explain to you what this album is all about…

Once again, the Cut Beetlez manage to bring something a little different with an emcee I’m not familiar with. DeLa Forte is an emcee who displays a solid lyrical style and who is also adept at switching between flows and styles to suit the sound. He draws on personal experience and street knowledge to add depth and feeling to his lyrics, whether he is spitting bars for fun or delivering more hard-hitting subject matter. DeLa Forte is definitely one to put on your radar.

There are only a few features on the album but, each one is well chosen and fits perfectly with the vibe of the individual tracks on which they feature.

I would say this… actually, I’m not gonna say anything more…

Broken by Cut Beetlez and DeLa Forte is out now.

I’m out now too,

See Ya.

Steve

LINKS

Get Broken from Cut Beetlez Bandcamp Here:

https://cutbeetlez.bandcamp.com/album/broken

Stream the YouTube Playlist Here:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_laa0DWCwplKsJshjHFblyoxciOHS9KAJs

DeLa Forte on Bandcamp Here:

https://delaforte757.bandcamp.com/