El-P, or El Producto, has been one of the top producers in underground rap since the mid-'90s; he has worked with Blackalicious, Mos Def and Dilated Peoples among others, establishing a nearly flawless reputation for his production work. He returns with I'll Sleep When You're Dead.
El-P released his first solo album, Fantastic Damage, to critical acclaim in May of 2002; in addition to his lauded production skills, he debuted as a skilled and intense lyricist with a knack for creating tension. After Fantastic Damage, he demonstrated his versatility with High Water, a collusion that teamed him with Matthew Shipp and others, El-P has returned following a layoff with a more refined delivery on the new album.
His mix combines lo-fi beats that buzz more than they pound, along with synth loops and distorted noise. This is a continuation of his trademark sound with well placed samples throughout. The album is loaded with guests, a deviation from Fantastic Damage. But without a doubt this is El-P's show. From the beginning El-P incessantly pushes the intensity level up with ISWYD; he leaves you gasping. It's tense; it's stressed.
"Tasmanian Pain Coaster" features indie favorites Omar Rodriguez Lopez and Cedric Bixler-Zavala of Mars Volta, additional guitar by Matt Sweeney of Zwan and an intro by Wilder Zoby of Chin Chin. The track opens the record with a clip from "Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me:" "Do you think that if you were falling in space you would slow down after a while or go faster and faster?"
El-P never slows down once he starts rapping: "this is the sound of what you don't know killing you / this is the sound of what you don't believe, still true."
His beats coupled with electric guitar create a dreamy, cinematic score that if released before 2000 would have been included in Rob Gordon's top 5 best opening tracks of an album -- with a bullet.
The first single from the album, "Smithereens (Stop Cryin')" follows. It starts light enough with jazzy synth blips, but once the beat gets started the tension level is ratcheted up to 11. Hangar 18 provides additional lyrics to the fairly nimble, clearly political rhymes of El-P. The stuttering beat evokes a helicopter dangerously close to your head and the synth that fills in the gaps could be an air raid siren.
"Up All Night" sounds like the club banger with sharp, punctuated drums but it provides no release from the paranoia and stress that pervades the album. "I know what lies are like / I may have been born yesterday / but I've been up all night."
If the album weren't confrontational enough, "Drive" attacks with stammering beats buzzing under distorted loops. The hook draws the audience in if the beats haven't. "Hopped in the Humvee screaming freedom is mine
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