GENRE | CHEMICALLY ENHANCED
VERDICT | 4CB OUT OF 5
LABEL | NETTWERK
RELEASE | 11.27.12
Recreational drug use has been a part of music culture since time immemorial (like, at least the ‘50s). Some artists ignore it, some wink at it, some flirt with it.
But Junkie XL is standing outside Recreational Drug Use’s window with a boombox.
Clips of ’60s anti-hippie testimonials and counter-culture icon/LSD-synthesizer, Timothy Leary, reading from a book he wrote about tripping, are woven into tracks. Song titles directly reference the drugs your clubbing butt will probably be on when you first hear this album in public (“Take off on Molly’s E”), and it will make a good soundtrack to nearly any variety of buzz. While the tone of the album slides between light and poppy to more intense and rhythm-driven (with a smattering of ’80s throwback synths), it never quite gets to the point where it will harsh your mellow.
Not to say that this album has nothing to offer for the more sober among us. While a few tracks tend toward the repetitive, there are plenty of engaging hooks and throbbing dance beats—like those found on “Gloria”—that will have you losing yourself in the music sans chemical assistance.
