Review Summary: biblical allusions, scientific terminology and experimental production come together to create one of the greatest Hip Hop albums the late 90's have to offer.
The Psycho-social, Chemical, Biological, and Electromagnetic Manipulation of Human Consciousness (and that is its full title) is a whirlwind of biblical allusions, scientific terminology, and profound philosophical points, all delivered through aggressive, cutting flows over some of the most experimental hip hop beats ever created. It is a cornerstone in experimental production and one of the more oddball records to emerge from the hip hop underground of the late 90’s.
The production is varied, although tends to be fairly dark and moody throughout. The album is laced with booming bass drums, hissing snares, and a slew of out-there samples. Producer Stoupe the Enemy of Mankind also makes artful use of an array of live instruments throughout the album. The whole thing kicks off with "The Winds of War", which sets an eerie tone with its tightly looped beat composed of acoustic guitars and violins, overlaying a hard-hitting kick and snare which provides the energy for this opener. This same atmosphere prevails through much of the album, although each song has its own instrumental quirks to separate itself from the rest. Most notably, "Omnicron" features a deceptively simple guitar riff that provides a great back-beat to its rapid-fire lyrics. Most of these tracks also feature samples pulled from a multitude of recordings. Though they come from a great many sources, each sample feels very intentional and fits remarkably well in its place. They add character to each song, and provide the necessary grit to tie the record together.
Over these beats, Ikon (later known as Vinnie Paz) and Apathy (a frequent guest on the album) deliver some heavy lyrics referencing a wide array of topics from religion, to particle physics and even extraterrestrial beings. The album is rife with biblical allusions that can easily leave the listener disoriented. What’s remarkable is how Ikon and apathy are able to reference so many disparate points, and yet have them sound so cohesive within the framework of each track. Lines like “Vanishing breed, the holy throne Presidents of United Snakes are now clones, The zones of the virus, the eye of Cyrus, The last waltz of the tyrants”. Sound surprisingly smooth despite how unrelated these topics are. Similar lines are not standouts of this album, they’re standard; and can be found all over the 18 tracks included. These lines are often delivered in an urgent, aggressive tone, and synergize well with the gloomy production.
The biggest issue with this album is despite how brilliantly referential it is, the songs themselves
don’t seem to fit a central narrative or theme. If you’re looking for a brilliant hip hop concept album from the late 90’s, you won’t find it here (but check out Deltron 3030 instead). Here, you’ll find an album jam packed with eerie production, aggressive flows and incredibly intricate allusions to all sorts of sci-fi and religious concepts. And with how well Jedi Mind Tricks execute this idea, its reason enough to make any hip hop fan excited.
