Overlooked: Gorilla Warfare Tactics’ “Zoology” (Album Stream & Review) Posted by Dharmic X on 05/06/13 | Filed under Opinion, Album Reviews, Overlooked, Gorilla Warfare Tactics

In the digital age of music, the idea that an artist or a group can disappear for two whole years and then return and not only retain an existing fan base, but can also reach out to new fans is unfathomable. It also feels like the antithesis of hip-hop, a culture that prides itself on “grinding” and “being everywhere.” And yet, New York trio Gorilla Warfare Tactics have defied these clichés and done exactly that.

After cultivating a fan base through the release of their quickstrike EP Premier back in 2011, the group went back to the drawing board, honing their craft and ensuring that the follow up project would be a significant step forward in their careers. The result was last week’s "Zoology". The release displays diversity in sound and style while remaining rooted in the essence of the craft.

On the surface, it would easy to typecast Zoology as an underground, boom-bap release, but that would certainly be a misnomer. The project starts with an intro titled “WARFARE,” which begins with a spoken word style piece that transitions into an instrumental that gives off a trance vibe. A variety of sounds follow, from the powerful flute loop on “Dark Saber Jedi” to the laidback soul sample on “Rap Game.” Each beat sounds unique, coming together like pieces of a puzzle.

Simultaneously, the beats on Zoology, put together by the twin duo of Imagine 1984, are lush and dense, feeling incredibly inspired in the process. A perfect example of that comes on “drugDILLA,” with horn riffs popping in and out every few bars. Eschewing a common format of using a simple loop as a three-minute beat, the duo creates a dynamic sound that allows for four or even five-minute songs to be engaging.

The lyricism on Zoology is markedly improved from the work of its predecessor. The rhyme style of the group’s emcee, Dilla (yes, not the best choice for a name in the hip-hop game) has been traditionally marked by an assertive and buttery-smooth flow that glides over the group’s brilliant production. On this project, the emcee manages to showcase some flexibility with the flow, changing tempos on songs such as “Rap Game.”

Conceptually, this project feels fairly zoned in around certain sci-fi motifs that play on the group’s name, with references to weaponry and battles. Simultaneously, this go-around, Dilla’s punchline game has improved. On “No Place Like Shibuya,” for example, the emcee says “And they bones stay brittle but the drones keep flying and they can’t say shit because the Mayans was wrong.” On “drugDilla,” he ends the song bragging that “I got the whip murdered out like 50 did to Ja’s career.” ‘Nuff said there.

Considering the lack of media and blog coverage of their music, Gorilla Warfare Tactics had built up a devoted fan base that eagerly waited for two years to get their hands on Zoology, and have promptly scooped it up and listened to it religiously despite the fact that other projects overshadowed it on the hype meter the day of release. For those who are not familiar with the trio, it is not too late to jump on the bandwagon. This is a solid release with some new flavor, a rarity in the game.