ALBUM: Oxytocin
ARTISTS: Various
LABEL: Harmonix

The guys at Harmonix in Boston have had quite an impact on music audiences in the last couple of years since releasing Guitar Hero and Rock Band. People have argued themselves blue in the face over whether it’s killing music, making it better or not going to be anything more than a blip—but what can't be argued is that the team there is full of cool people who understand music.

Their games have featured numerous tracks now by the independent bands that are composed of the same team making the games and the Oxytocin release is following that tradition in a different way. Instead of the primary 'rock' sound of the bands heard so far, this is a mixture of hip hop and electronic work coming from the staff. And it’s very fun, a pleasant surprise. There is a sort of expectation, unfair perhaps, that anticipating a number of game developers to fall more into nerdcore but instead they feature great poetry and interesting lyrics through the songs on the mixtape.

While it’s a collaborative work, there is certainly a focus on two of the artists - Nay and M-Cue. The first provides an intellectual alternative to the hip hop songstress we have come to expect, her songs focusing on unusual areas that provide a witty little hook. M-Cue was the collaborator on many of the songs and the star of others, providing a great voice and an excellent appreciation of beat and tempo.

There is enough going on with this mixtape that it’s hard to not find something you would enjoy, so give them a listen.

REVIEWED BY RAIN PLETCHER


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