Clipping (stylised ‘clipping.’
but for punctuation’s sake we’ll call them Clipping) continue to make music out
of the most unmusical ideas conceivable, this time centreing their creepy lyrics
around sex. The result is Wriggle -
an EP that will either get you wriggling uncomfortably in your seat or
wriggling with masochistic joy.
The hare-brained hip hop group have always been challenging
even to a liberal-minded listener like myself. Rapping over Merzbow-esque harsh
noise on their debut Midcity, and
then graduating to dentist drills and alarm clock bleeps on their follow-up Clppng, the group have now worked up to
making beats solely out of scary gunshot noises on Wriggle (as showcased with the track ‘Shooter’). The nutty inventiveness
and head-bobbing sense of rhythm is back, but so is the frustrating lack of
melody. Daveed Diggs’ rapping meanwhile both takes away and adds to the
intensity, each word conveyed with a crisp and clean clarity that serves as a
warm blanket against the cold dissonant noise, but delivered at a dizzying speed
that might as well be an extra punch in the gut.
As for the lyrics, they’ve now taken on a less psychopathic
tone, going for a pervy vibe instead. Diggs’ isn't quite the urban bard he was on Clppng, no longer sitting down his listeners for stories, but crafting songs out of unsettling stream of consciousness garble. Thankfully the imagery
is still vivid and clever, even if I’m not sure what to think of an image
like ‘wriggle like an eel’ or Cakes
Da Killa’s beautiful contributed line ‘golden
showers on white sheets’. It’s certainly not music to play at your
8-year-old nephew’s birthday party, but if you’re struggling for something to spin in your sex dungeon, this is definitely the record for you.
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One of Clipping’s messiest projects to date, Wriggle’s lyrics and song structures can
often feel directionless. Whether this is an intentional way of further
disorientating the listener or a song-writing flaw is up for debate. ‘Shooter’
has clear verses and a hook, but the snaking synth in the background refuses to
settle into a cosy harmonious riff – probably intentionally messy. Meanwhile,
closer ‘Our Time’ aims for an epic crescendo only to settle into a clunky
chorus from guest vocalist Nailah Middleton that couldn’t be less catchy if it
tried – probably unintentionally messy.
Of course, Wriggle is still a solid EP, and sure signs that full-length album is in the works. Technically
impressive, creative and still packing a groove, Clipping may be just as
head-scratching, but they’re also just as engaging, still pushing hip hop
forward to new daring places and remaining ahead of the curve.
★★★★☆
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