Artist: Louis LogicTitle: Sin-A-MaticRating: 4 1/2 StarsReviewed by: aqua boogie
A proverbial underground staple for the last couple of years, Louis Logic is finally hitting us with his true debut, Sin-A-Matic. Louis is banking on the rap world accepting another LL but his version won’t necessarily win over the name brand and high heels chick crowd. His style of hip-hop is a bit more irreverent-think American Pyscho meets Animal House.
Louis’ flow is conversational and his vocal tone at time is very similar to Aceyalone’s. But where the latter sometimes gets too complex for listeners, Louis keeps the lyrics relatively simple. That’s not to say his skills on the mic are suspect as the first line from album opener “Sintro” proves: “Yo! Perfectionist rhymer, it’s only cause I’m such a dick you always find me next to v#####…” Thus setting the stage for an LP full of playful drunken debauchery.
The majority of the album’s production is aptly handled by J.J. Brown. On “Diablos” incendiary bars aimed at “dick syrup drinking emcees” are traded with his partner Celph Titled over cascading guitar strings. “Coochie Coup” is a hilarious-and ultimately disrespectful-ode to carnal craving of most hetero males complete with a chick that sounds like a geisha crooning the title on the hook. Other tracks to check include “Postal” and “Dos Factotum” where he declares himself the Lush President of the Wino Section.
Along with the usual tales of perverse sex, delinquency and general mayhem, check “Freak Show” and “The Rest”, Louis manages to pontificates on a variety of topics. Case in point, he narrates the scenario of one of his boys creeping with his wifey (after he had asked him to look after her no less) on “Best Friends” featuring Apathy; then the consequential ill fated case of vengeance on “Revenge” with another assist from Celph Titled.
Louis does falter occasionally. “Mischievous” has a show-tunes type beat that doesn’t really fit his fast paced flow and the spacey sounds on “Fair Weather Fan” don’t bump either. But overall Sin-A-Matic is a complete album miles ahead of many of his “underground” (can we get a new word please?) peers. A subterranean (that’s mildly better) album with rhymes that make sense, beats that bang and that can be played front to back; not checking this album is a sin.