ALBUM REVIEW: “Freak Dreams” by Slope
Recently a new single crossed our desk, and it took just one listen for us to sit up and take notice. The wacky Beastie Boy-esque Intergalactic video draws you in to the crazy world of Slope, the five piece band from Germany. Their second album came out last Friday, but we had to reach out and find out some more. Their style is crazy, wild and brilliantly fun and an addictive mix of funk, hip-hop, and hardcore. “Freak Dreams is out now on Century Media Records and can be ordered HERE.
In Slope, you will find the funk tones of the Red Hot Chilli Peppers, mixed with high energy hip-hop founded in bands like The Beastie Boys, mixed with a hardcore punk scene raw edge and attitude, akin to Bad Brains.
Its nostalgic and very reminiscent of the likes of RHCP, but has a modern freshness, an edge to it that make sit stand out as very very different.
The end result is classic funk, colliding head on with hardcore punk creating a wall of noise. The slap bass gives it a groove and rhythm and the fuzzy guitar riffs alternate between reggae/funk grooves and harsh powerful punk chorus breaks.
Opening track Talk Big exemplifies this perfectly, with some tight playing, and their use of dual vocals, trading lines back and forth. It’s tight has a groove you can dance to.
It's Tickin', inspired by the mundanity of 9-5 life shows their Beastie Boy influence well and a short, snappy chorus reminiscent of Run DMCs “It’s Tricky”.
The balance between styles and influences is great, with tracks like Talk Big, True Blue and Freak Dreams will appeal to the RHCP fans out there and just ooze funky style. But tracks like Why Sad, Nosedive, Out of the Blue Into the Black and Hectic Life are packed with heavy fuzzy riffs and distortion to satisfy the needs of the hardcore fans listening in.
For me, track of the album is Why Sad a brilliant mix of styles, with some utterly brilliant chaotic hip hop style lyrics bouncing back and forth, cast over a crushing punk/metal guitar riff and a deep funky bass background. The juxtaposition is exceptional and works so well balancing all three elements so well.
Between the two extremes, there’s tracks like Ain’t Easy walk a balance between funk and punk brilliantly.
Another cracker is title track Freak Dreams which reminds me of those early 90’s crossover metal tracks and certainly has that Turnstile feel to it.
As the album ends, final track Out Of The Blue Into The Black takes up the hardcore banner and launches a full on audio assault on the ears. The riffs and heavy rhythm are non-stop from start to finish and the dual vocals are razor sharp as the incendiary lyrics shoot back and forth. Its an interesting end to the album, as up to this point, the album has weaved a path from 90s funk to hardcore punk, via hip hop balancing all the elements brilliantly, and then this….. Often the last song ‘draws everything together’ and completes the story. Here it feels like it’s a stark and brutal hardcore full stop. Its bold, and I liked it.
Slope are something very different, drawing on a wide range of styles and influences, but crafting something quite unique. Its funky, you can dance to it, its fun and its crazy, but it can also be hardcore and heavy.
Quite simply its unique and brilliant, you can shake your stuff on the dancefloor, then bludgeon your way across the moshpit with ease. Well worth a 9.5 from LiveWire.
Slope are the kind of band, having heard them on vinyl……. I so so need to see them live !!!!!
