We Are but Hunks of Wood - Little People (2012)
Little People (actual name Laurent Clerc, no information on his actual size) has a very refined palate of British and European electronic noodling to go with an interest in instrumental hip hop. What he ends up with doesn’t sound very hip hoppy to me in a lot of places, but I get the influence.
There is some definite edge in places. Wonderland and Cartouche both have some biting stabs of synth and some insistent beats that wouldn’t be out of place in the world of hip hop. After a slow build, the excellent–and excellently titled–Electrickery lurches in and out of some serious if low-key hip hop swagger.
Other tracks that are much more heavy on the electronic soundscapes than on a hip hop beat are still great. Another banger of a title, Offal Waffle, features wandering synths and hand clap beats that make a great combo. Eminence Grise rides a bass line out of nebulous synths and into a great groove.
This is one of those great records of downtempo music that could be mistaken for wallpaper if you aren’t paying attention, but has a lot to offer as a reward if you are.
