Posted on 06/16/2008
Those of us of a certain age recall a time when anything that came out of NYC was certified dope while everything else was considered a mere gimmick. A time when the wackest rapper from the Gotham City got love and airtime from Yo MTV Raps while the best local act from Anywhere Else, USA was lucky to get a gig at a block party. That was a long time ago, but there remains a strong undercurrent of regional bias working against artists like Innate Sounds, leaving them on the outskirts of the industry to go unnoticed and, even worse, unheard.

Hailing from the birthplace of Bird, Innate Sounds’ debut, Alpha, is a compilation of hip hop, jazz and R&B that’s unlike anything you’d expect from the nation’s heartland. And, clearly, that seems to be the point. Heading up this collective effort is Miles Bonny, a multi- talented, multi-instrumentalist, ?uestlove-like figure whose unflappable positivity pervades the album. The outcome is a sound that approximates that of Nicolay or The Foundation.

Alpha begins with the organic hip hop jazz “Intro” which features vocals by Bonny and resemble those of a certain afro-sporting drummer renowned for perfecting the same sound. Then, almost as quickly as the listener’s ears get acquainted with this soothing format, comes the Casio keyboard Castlevania-inspired “Raise Up,” a rather hard edged statement to those nondescript, yet wildly popular, followers of the faux-thug movement (measure my life against/whatever you came up with…you need to raise up kid/let’s see if you can stay up with/my truth versus your made up shit). Also, the track is notable for the deft usage of the word episiotomy; you just don’t hear that one too often. Then, almost as quickly as the listener’s ears get acquainted with this more assertive stance, Alpha hits you with “Gone Away,” a Darrien Brockington-esque ballad. This is an R&B track of the Dwele/Bahamadia “Beautiful Things” variety; very listenable, yet not commercial radio friendly. Innate Sounds throws the listener another curveball a little further along with “Real Close,” a rudimentary attempt at a J. Dilla chopped up track that’ll likely send listeners back to Fantastic Vols. 1 & 2 era Slum Village.

Despite its occasional missteps, like the rather corny cries for dance floor love (“The Numbers,” “Your Favorite Song”), Alpha proves that Kansas has something to say. And it’s clear that the allure of the Innate Sounds crew has more to do with the substance of their music rather than their barely noticeable regional accents. That’s enough for me to add them to the rotation. What’ll it take for you to do the same?

- Adam Roussell