July 22, 2004 @ 6:29 am

Various Artists - Alchemist Presents 1st Infantry (Alc/Koch)

Donnie Kwak

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If today’s big-name producers are luxury cars, then Alchemist is the subway—dependable and glamour free.

If today’s big-name producers are luxury cars, then Alchemist is the subway—dependable and glamour free. His debut album establishes him as the go-to producer for the East Coast street sound. Predictably, there’s a strong Queens presence throughout 1st Infantry. Prodigy appears on five tracks, including the first single, “Hold You Down,” which samples Al Kooper’s haunting “Love Theme” (also used on Jay-Z’s “Soon You’ll Understand”). Elsewhere, Al lays down his signature grit on Lloyd Banks’s coldblooded “Bangers” and Mobb Deep’s “When You Hear That,” which sounds like a Doctor Who episode set in a project stairwell. Lest one think his sound is too N.Y.C.-centric, Alchemist proves his versatility by bringing blaxploitation horns on Devin the Dude’s “Where Can We Go” and twangy guitars to accentuate the Nappy Roots’ “Shine.” Still, Al is at his best when concocting cipher-friendly beats like Nas’s melodic “Tick Tock” and “Dead Bodies,” which features vocals from the Game and Prodigy. It’s relentless, New York–style hip hop, which, like the subway, will never go out of style.

Article tags: Various, Artists, Alchemist, Presents, 1st, Infantry, Alc/Koch 

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