Dalek
Abandoned Language
Abandoned Language is a level five musical fire alarm made of strings. Layers and layers of strings soaring into the stratosphere, sinking beneath the folds of the earth, and screeching from a distance. When the strings aren't enough, a saxophone or bagpipe is brought in to bring added mayhem to the cacophony. And when this musical alarm isn't ringing it is either in preparations for it or has just finished you off, letting you sit in the desolate fields of its aftermath. All this whilst the rhythm section roars steadily and ominously in the background. MC Dalek himself has become has become much more selective and just as menacing here with his words. He is at once our guilty political conscience, our fearless leader and the quiet hope inside us all. Even though the "pages of history have remained the same for 600 years" he lies ready and waiting asking you "what's your fear nigga!?" and egging you on to "fight tanks with fists". But more than ever here the music rises above the words, cutting them off even in mid sentence. It gives the feeling that Dalek has either given up or never was trying to change us, but rather wanted what all musicians want: for you to sit (or stand) and listen. And what a breathless and heart wrenching listen it is. There's no need for revolt at the moment, but when the time comes Dalek will be on the playlist I prepare for it.
-Andre Harris, 2008
Comments