No Luck Club: Prosperity

No Luck Club
Prosperity
Igloo Cartel
2006-11-07

Cinematic flair and historical sensitivity are only two of the assets that distinguish No Luck Club from its instrumental hip-hop peers. The group’s latest outing, Prosperity, is split into four three-song sections, which feature colorful instrumentation and create distinctive atmospheres. In the third section, which includes “Our Story” and “Valuable Lives”, the group uses vocal samples to discuss attitudes towards Chinese immigration in a way that should speak to anyone who’s ever been an outsider. Fortunately, Prosperity‘s music is just as compelling as its social ideals. The album displays an astonishing range of timbres and textures and is alternately funky and reflective. Prominent turntable improvisation gives the music an old-school hip-hop vibe that, along with all the other elements of Prosperity, helps the album find its own niche in the cluttered electronic scene.

RATING 7 / 10