March 1997

Various Artists
Abstract Funk
Prestige

By Tony Green

Don't let the title of Abstract Funk (New Breed NBO 0062-2 42:00) fool you-no "find the hook" games here. They're running along the lower registers-the hard old school hip-hop and jungle-tied beats that run underneath the sample collages (everything from lilting keyboards to Richard Pryor loops). Lunar Deep's "Demon Attack," and DJ Smash's rolling "Dread vs. Alien" are the highlights. Art & Science contributes the quirky "Communication," while Hustletron adds the "Acid Rain Dance" and "Vinyl Smack."