Deltron 3030 - Deltron 3030 (Album Review)

 

Deltron 3030 - Deltron 3030

(2000)


My copy: 2012 press by Deltron Partners.


Rising up slowly and steadily as a west coast rapper who frequently wrote lyrics for his cousin Ice Cube, Teren Delvon Jones (Del The Funky Homosapien) eventually struck up a creative relationship with Daniel Nakamura (Dan The Automator) and Eric San (Kid Koala). The trio set out to create what would end up being one of the most ambitious rap concept albums of its era in the hour long odyssey that is Deltron 3030. Del provides barrages of lyrically dense exposition aided by the DJ sampling and turntablism of Kid Koala, with Dan the Automator producing and mixing the entire album. Deltron 3030 is an elaborate effort that is home to an array of clever and humorous in-universe features, including Damon Albarn who would later recruit the trio to appear on the Gorillaz debut. 

There are expository interludes such as the introductory “State Of The Nation,” which gives an immersive edge to the record outside of the more expansive main tracks. “3030” begins with groovy bass and melodic tension, mixing slide guitar samples in a way that makes them sound alien. The lyrics follow lead character Deltron-Zero through an intergalactic rampage against monolithic corporations and evil governments. While the premise is based in fiction, much of Del’s lyrics are impressively insightful and draw inspiration from modern political climates and conflicts, with Del impressively balancing artistic flair with genuine insight. “3030” boasts maybe the most triumphant and powerful choruses of the record before getting stuck into the acid-rap fusion of “Things You Can Do,” which plays to horror/sci-fi tropes in moody string samples. 

Simple beat-boxing is elevated into a bubbly rap beat on “Positive Contact” where Del’s aggression is dialed back slightly. “St. Catherine St.” is another interlude that seeks to immerse listeners into the dystopic world of Deltron 3030, with overlapping chattering and humorous character moments. “Virus” is a truly genius bout of lyricism, that carries further weight in the modern era of digital fragility. Apart from Del’s masterful rhymes, the music is anxious and villanious, working cinematic swells between plotting guitars and diseased synthesizer samples. Del duets with Microsoft Sam on “Upgrade (A Raymar College Course),” making use of sputtering digital sounds and trippy repetition. 

The tone turns regal and hopeful on “Mastermind” before plunging into Del’s critical philosphizing on “Madness.” Chopped vocal samples often appear to lift the edge from Del’s nonstop verbal tiraids, as the bulk of the core songs are stretched into longer forms to fit the entirety of the rapper’s ideas. The brooding jazz crossover of “Time Keeps Slipping” is akin to a preview of the trio’s widely popular track “Clint Eastwood” from the self-titled Gorillaz record from the next year thanks to the use of sampled harmonica and a reflective atmosphere. “News (A Wholly Owned Subsidiary Of Microsoft Inc.)” predates modern conflicts about media owned information though the track itself is a simple interlude.

“Turbulance (Remix)” is the most ripe with space-themed samples as starshift sounds pan across channels with laser-beam expulsions and watery, pulsing melodies. Del spits about corporate brainwashing and corruption, all messages that ring even more true in 2023. “Battlesong” and “Love Story” reignite the lighthearted side of the adventure with the former chronicling Deltron-Zero’s rise to fame in some kind of inter-planetary gladiator contest (that also takes the piss out of inane bureacracy) and the latter’s recalling of sci-fi robotic courtship. Victorious horn samples adorn Del’s final lesson on “Memory Loss,” which plays out more as an homage to old-school 90s rap than the rest of the album - ending on a high note. 

Though some of the indulgent interludes could be skipped, and the album itself could benefit from trimming down in general, Deltron 3030 is an incredibly creative and thought-provoking work. Not only does this release serve to entertain and engage, but Del’s captivating bars also inform and speak true of many real-world issues. Deltron 3030 is over 20 years old now, yet its transmissions still truly feel as though they fell from a time rift created by one of Deltron-Zero’s mischievous plans in the distant future.

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