Pitchfork

The sequel to Madvillainy hasn't got much buzz right now-- odd, considering it was the last truly slobbered-over independent rap record of the last three or four years. The first trickle, "Monkey Suite," is perfectly fine: Madlib's drunk and stumbling keys, blaring electric piano, a diffident bass line. It feels competent. It sounds exactly like what you think it might. Safety is a bad look for Madlib, worse still for MF Doom. The song's so normal in fact it may have you reaching for its predecessor, just to make sure "Accordion" is as faultless as you remember. Doom raps, "This go out to all my brothers doin' long bids/ And sisters who got brothers bein' fathers to the wrong kids." It's a classically circuitous line from Doom, about nothing, and in all likelihood, everything. Only we can't refract its meaning without the accompanying album. Maybe Doom's game here is merely a series of knick-knack phrases strung together, maybe it's more meaningful.