iconAclass – For The Ones

Even the most devoted fan of Dälek must admit that rapper Will Brooks’s vocals often get drowned out by the industrial haze more than their eloquence deserves. As iconAclass, Brooks takes the juggernaut aesthetic of Dälek and bares it back to that classic hip-hop minimum: rhymes over beats. The cuts from DJ Motiv strike a perfect balance between old school boom-bap and bleak dystopian sci-fi, with just enough spacey psychedelia to stay this side of trip-hop.

Brooks pulls off the impressive feat of retaining the vicious hunger of an underground rapper this far into his career, and his drawling authority over incisive and precise lyrics summon more than enough gravitas to satisfy those longing for the sensory overload of Dälek. This stripped back combination make iconAclass a vital album for those who can’t wait to see if the recent Company Flow reunion will result in a follow up to Funcrusher Plus. [Ali Maloney]