Adelaide lyricist Integer1, also known as Artistik Intalekt, (After Hours/Certified Wise/Crackhouse) has quietly unleashed his solo project A Thousand Words on CD. An independently released 9 track album, (One is a secret track which is intended to make you go back and wonder what you missed? Downloadable… just read on). Featuring the likes of fellow After Hours DJ Jugular, (creator of the crazy and comical scratch track My Arm Hurts on The debut A.H release Different Rules Apply) add to the mix some insane scratch artistry by Australian DMC ITF Champion DJ Sum One as well as introducing some fresh Adelaide DJ talent in the form of Deadbeat who crushes on the track Tomorrow. Only one vocal feature on this album by Certified Wise crew member Kolaps, who seems to teleport himself out of knowhere and onto the strange and futuristic track Tomorrow.
The album was conceived and written while Integer1 lived overseas travelling around Europe. “It wasn’t really an option to put together a collaborative project. It’s not recorded in some plush studio, there wasn’t a fortune spend on engineering, mastering or promoting because ultimately I value substance over presentation.”
In keeping with this philosophy and the CDs concept the cover artwork is “Deliberately not a picture, anything else would contradict the title.” Refering back to the age-old adage ‘a picture paints a thousand words’ simply flipping around the phrase.
Interger1 presents a package delivered for those who live in the underground. A Thousand Words cuts through a lot of the marketing bullshit, ignoring current trends to place the attention firmly on the record and its contents.
“Artists should be able to paint a depiction of what they represent through their chosen media. Unfortunately, in the case of music particually, there seems to be less emphasis on the content, say 1% to the 99% focus on selling a product, as a lyricist the words are what’s really important.”
“I appreciate a good stageshow, astounding album cover or innovative film clip. Unfortunately it’s looking like the industry side of the music scene seems to be taking the focus off the actual music which is completely backwards, A Thousand Words is about taking away the fraudulent image.”
Integer’s album is more suited for the thinking listener and is in the artists words “admittedly 100% guaranteed not to make the charts”. The content is contemplative and detailed, and won’t stink of simple catchy plastic riffs you can dance to. It’s focus is the mic content, and stays topical, realistic and articulate.
The lyrics on I of the Storm, paint a vision in your mind of devastating weather wreaking havoc through townships. Interger1′ use of tempo and lyrical structure really help deliver on this track.
Equally the track Wildfire gives a true picture of the harsh destruction of Australian bushfires during our hot summers. Tracks can easily sit side by side on a mixtape next to earlier Artistik Intalekt solo tracks such as G.S.T, Untapped Potential and Burning Books. There is plenty to absorb while listening to this release, and you will find yourself taking a second and third pass to take in the scenery.
Although the album is shorter than most in overall listening time, it packs in twice the content in the verbal description department, compared to some other more stock standard releases, and is suitably priced to posess a copy. (RRP $20)
If you search around you may even get it cheaper. This really is a must-have album for any serious Australian hip hop collector. As we absorb each track off the album we really couldn’t help but gush with nostalgia. The albums cuts are some of the best we have heard in a long time and were highly refreshing, we couldn’t highlight that enough. The Certified Wise crew certainly hold a legacy with-in the relams of the Australian Hip Hop culture, with Interger1 – One Thousand Words set to continue that legacy.
Last night Integer1 held his Adelaide Album Launch for A Thousand Words, @Crown and Sceptre. The gig, which saw an excellent turnout and supports by Certified Wise’s DJ Staen1, Kolaps and Jugular. Also Koolta and PT (Greenhouse), Chris Bass (Defenders/Crackhouse) and Train (Venakula). Hosted by 2Biz and Jekl (Crackhouse), Sponsored by Clinic 116.
For our All Aussie Heads, we are leaking secret track 2 (Malevolence) taken from Integer1 – A Thousand Words. The download will be available for a short period of time, so grab it while you can at http://www.megaupload.com/?d=IQ2I1FH7.
