The Infesticons are the brainchild of accomplished New York City hip-hop producer Mike Ladd. Born in Cambridge, MA, Ladd has shared the stage with the likes of KRS-One, De La Soul, and the Last Poets. Easy Listening For Armageddon, his ‘97 debut album for Scratchie/Mercury, was met with critical acclaim by the music press and led to a deal with Ninja Tune-owned Big Dada.
The third and final part of Mike Ladd’s epic Infesticons concept trilogy, “Bedford Park” sees the remnants of the Infesticons’ marching band emerge from a bunker to find out that not only is the war with the Majesticons over, but no one can even remember who either side are. With various guests including Saul Williams, Creature, Juice Aleem and Seraphim (of No Surrender), Ladd fashions a ragged punk-blues noise for this strange, beautiful and funny coda, a sound which has already been described as “Dinosaur Jr by Black people.”
“Blockin’ Door Anthem” kicks off “Bedford Park” at its most raw, Ladd hollering and testifying over a fuzzed out Korg b-line” “Shoulda jacked ya, shoulda jacked ya/Throw you off the jungle gym and make it like an accident…”. “Gonna Anthem” and “Dirty Old Men Anthem” continue the theme, filthy guitar lines slashing over the top of MPC beats. “Plane Anthem” takes a turn towards jump-up bloco, before “Forever Anthem” allows momentary relaxation in da haus. “Kick Anthem” not only takes us straight back towards the energy of “Blockin’ Door…,” it contains a list of Ladd’s favourite body oils: “Nubian Hawkwind, Egyptian Pinky Ring, Lumumba AK, Angolan Whisper, Portugese Scum, Spanish Dead Men” and so on, the most innocent listings packed with subtext. “Give Em Anthem,” “Hang It Up Anthem” and “Bombs Anthem” return the funk and hip hop to nearer centre stage, before “Get Along Anthem” and “Skies Anthem” finish the album with a last blast of punk spikiness and folk yearning respectively.
The Infesticons project began in the year 2000 with the release of “Gun Hill Road,” a moment-defining explosion from the New York Underground scene featuring Company Flow, Anti-Pop Consortium, Saul Williams and plenty more. It was followed in 2003 by the Majesticons’ rejoinder, “Beauty Party,” which one of Mike’s alter-egos described as “hearing irony die in a whole new way” (a prophetic reference to ths hipster rap scene which would follow). Now, the shell-shocked remnants of the Infesticons return for one last hurrah. A short, sharp blast of an album, which combines every ounce of Ladd’s trademark intelligence, humour and questioning with the most violent and carefree music he’s ever made. | |
