Foreign Beggars - Stray Point Agenda

a

Album Track Listing

Foreign Beggars:
Stray Point Agenda

Release Date: 16 October 2006

Reviewed By: Luke Davis

1) Intro

2) Reelfire

3) Slo-Speed

4) In It For A Minute (ft. Graziella)

5) Clockwork Skit

6) Confessions of a... (ft. Graziella)

7) To Be A Memory (ft. Dudley Perkins)

8) Black Hole Prophecies (ft. DJ Vadim)

9) On A Winter's Day (ft. Ravi Shakti)

10) Interlude

11) Backdraft

12) Slow Broiled Ilk (ft. OhNo)

13) Hot Plate (ft. Dubbledge)

14) Shlonames Piece

15) Let Go (ft. Wildchild)

16) Reach Out ft. Dr Syntax

17) Clouds Skit

18) The Coming (ft. Moschops, Dr Syntax and Skrein)

Kelis - Kelis Was Here
Read Review

Death looms large over Foreign Beggars’ ‘Stray Point Agenda’. Set against a backdrop of bass-heavy instrumentation and green smoke the multi-national six-member crew use their second album to depict a world in the throes of apocalypse.

Vertebrae are snapped, heads are severed, lungs become cancerous, people are hanged, fried, shot, and electrocuted. The imagined and metaphorical body count rises in time with the incessant swell of the world’s ills; from the petty crimes of hubris, hating and ‘wackness’ to poverty and imperialism. With a choice of ‘one million ways to die’, no-one is safe.

Dissecting the carnage any further requires serious effort, but there are stray fragments of the title’s agenda to be found. All the usual suspects crop up: American imperialism, governments that deceive and modern greed. The result is a dystopia filled in equal parts with the homicidal and those who instead choose to ‘smoke an eighth a day/ and sit in silence while our troubles fade to grey’.

Sonically the Beggars’ soundscape fits the subject matter perfectly. Warped bass lines, analogue effects, vocal snippets and spoken word monologues are all strewn throughout the 18 tracks. Think Roots Manuva’s ‘Awfully Deep’ mixed with early Wu-Tang and then injected with some youthful hunger.

For the faint hearted there are fleeting moments of respite in the form of the sweet soul sampling of ‘On a Winter’s Day’ and ‘Reach Out’. With smooth vocal hooks and contemplative lyrics they’re strategically placed exhalations that stop the album becoming too consumed by its own anger and gloom.

What’s most arresting throughout the album though, is the consistent skill in its execution. The flows, wordplay and rhyming patterns are often incredibly complex but always seem effortless and never forced. The imagery is powerful and imaginative and the styles of the MCs are each very different but complimentary. The guest-spots clearly have a purpose other than name-dropping and it’s also refreshing to hear the three MCs’ and producer’s work embellished by beatboxing and turntablism; both of which are elements of hip hop that are often overlooked on record.

This album clearly hasn’t been produced in an effort to attract mass appeal and definitely won’t be to everyone’s tastes. Instead this is the sound of talent without the constraints of a commercial agenda. Foreign Beggars can expect to stay in the underground, but from the sound of ‘Stray Point Agenda’ that’s the safest place to be.

Rating: 4 out of 5

Favourite Tracks:

3) Slo-Speed

6) Confessions of a…

9) On a Winter’s Day

Return to Latest Reviews or select review by artist or Soundtrack, A-Z.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

US Music | Clubs | Front Page | UK Music | Events

			a
Album Track Listing	Foreign Beggars: Stray Point Agenda Release Date: 16 October 2006 Reviewed By: Luke Davis
1) Intro 2) Reelfire 3) Slo-Speed 4) In It For A Minute (ft. Graziella) 5) Clockwork Skit 6) Confessions of a... (ft. Graziella) 7) To Be A Memory (ft. Dudley Perkins) 8) Black Hole Prophecies (ft. DJ Vadim) 9) On A Winter's Day (ft. Ravi Shakti) 10) Interlude 11) Backdraft 12) Slow Broiled Ilk (ft. OhNo) 13) Hot Plate (ft. Dubbledge) 14) Shlonames Piece 15) Let Go (ft. Wildchild) 16) Reach Out ft. Dr Syntax 17) Clouds Skit 18) The Coming (ft. Moschops, Dr Syntax and Skrein) Kelis - Kelis Was Here Read Review

		Death looms large over Foreign Beggars’ ‘Stray Point Agenda’. Set against a backdrop of bass-heavy instrumentation and green smoke the multi-national six-member crew use their second album to depict a world in the throes of apocalypse. Vertebrae are snapped, heads are severed, lungs become cancerous, people are hanged, fried, shot, and electrocuted. The imagined and metaphorical body count rises in time with the incessant swell of the world’s ills; from the petty crimes of hubris, hating and ‘wackness’ to poverty and imperialism. With a choice of ‘one million ways to die’, no-one is safe. Dissecting the carnage any further requires serious effort, but there are stray fragments of the title’s agenda to be found. All the usual suspects crop up: American imperialism, governments that deceive and modern greed. The result is a dystopia filled in equal parts with the homicidal and those who instead choose to ‘smoke an eighth a day/ and sit in silence while our troubles fade to grey’. Sonically the Beggars’ soundscape fits the subject matter perfectly. Warped bass lines, analogue effects, vocal snippets and spoken word monologues are all strewn throughout the 18 tracks. Think Roots Manuva’s ‘Awfully Deep’ mixed with early Wu-Tang and then injected with some youthful hunger. For the faint hearted there are fleeting moments of respite in the form of the sweet soul sampling of ‘On a Winter’s Day’ and ‘Reach Out’. With smooth vocal hooks and contemplative lyrics they’re strategically placed exhalations that stop the album becoming too consumed by its own anger and gloom. What’s most arresting throughout the album though, is the consistent skill in its execution. The flows, wordplay and rhyming patterns are often incredibly complex but always seem effortless and never forced. The imagery is powerful and imaginative and the styles of the MCs are each very different but complimentary. The guest-spots clearly have a purpose other than name-dropping and it’s also refreshing to hear the three MCs’ and producer’s work embellished by beatboxing and turntablism; both of which are elements of hip hop that are often overlooked on record. This album clearly hasn’t been produced in an effort to attract mass appeal and definitely won’t be to everyone’s tastes. Instead this is the sound of talent without the constraints of a commercial agenda. Foreign Beggars can expect to stay in the underground, but from the sound of ‘Stray Point Agenda’ that’s the safest place to be. Rating: 4 out of 5 Favourite Tracks: 3) Slo-Speed 6) Confessions of a… 9) On a Winter’s Day Return to Latest Reviews or select review by artist or Soundtrack, A-Z. A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z