Various Artists The Human Element
A compilation of wall-to-wall beatbox joints? Risky business, right? The idea that someone could make […]
A compilation of wall-to-wall beatbox joints? Risky business, right? The idea that someone could make a record with just a larynx and a mic-substituting gulps and glottal stops for synths, snares and record scratches-boggles the mind. Amazingly, The Human Element works; in fact, it dazzles. Click Tha Supah Latin’s reprise of his old joint “Contact” is the album’s highlight, but the most innovative track is Kris Jung’s “Liquid Butterfly,” which incorporates hard rock guitar riffs. Despite a few moments when attempts to mouth old samples sound like superficial experimentation, these “vocal percussionists” mostly use their tongues in creative ways.