Kidz In The Hall - The In Crowd

Kidz In The Hall’s sophomore effort, The In Crowd, combines a broad palette of sounds that will please even the pickiest headz out there. Thirteen out of the fourteen cuts feature guest MCs, and you’d expect even a producer as sick as Double O to struggle with weaving together so many disparate elements. Indeed, if you’re in search of a cohesive record that sticks with one flavour, this isn’t the LP for you. There’s old school boom-bap on Driving Down The Block and the ironically titled Snob Hop. The latter sees the Kidz combining experimentation and the absurdist spittings of Camp Lo, whilst nodding to the past, sampling Black Sheep’s classic Flava of The Month. The In Crowd is based around experimentation, and it often pays off, particularly on the likes of Love Hangover: a hedonistic drummer’s paradise, saturated with elements of retro eighties electro. It’s equally forward-thinking though, and features Estelle, the flavour of the month (we reckon she’s awesome). The Kidz are firmly rooted in their heritage, but manage to push back the boundaries of hip-hop to explore whole new styles. [Omar Jenning]