Ninjasonik – Art School Girls (2010) [Green Owl] // Grade: A

It’s hard for me to claim objectivity in this review when the relationship between Мишка and Ninjasonik is well documented, but I’m going to try my best. I could have assigned this album to any of our other reviewers who haven’t dealt with Telli, Jah and Teenwolf on an almost weekly basis like I have, but who would I have been fooling? Whoever reviewed this album on the Bloglin, there is no escaping the fact that Мишка and Ninjasonik’s names have become intertwined with one another… so why side-step the lo-down. I mean, we’re co-signing them this hard for a reason, no?

It’s been a looooooong build up now for Art School Girls. The album (I believe) was finished well over a year ago while the group shopped for a label. In that time, Ninjasonik has released two mixtapes, Darth Baño and Strictly 4 My Hipstaz, and relentlessly toured/partied (whatever you want to call it). I don’t think releasing newer material while their debut album gathered dust for so long was ever part of the plan, but in many ways, it worked to their advantage. Hearing Art School Girls for the first time after  two mixtapes and the cementation of their raucous reputation just showcases Ninjasonik’s range all the better. Where both Darth Baño and Strictly 4 My Hipstaz veered more towards Hip Hop, the 2008 debut EP Tight Pants was more about making party Electro/Punk jams. This makes it hardly a surprise that Art School Girls is caught between both worlds, tied together by a devil-may-care attitude that at times reveals itself as the infectious Ghettolectro of “Toe Wop”  and “Somebody Gonna Get Pregnant” or the Hipster Hop of “Picture Party” and “All of Our Friends”, and even jumps to the–dare I say–Pop-Punk anthem of “No, No, No”.  All aspects of Ninjasonik are in perfect party harmony for inebriated punks, hoodrats and hipsters.

I’m sure tracks like “Art School Girls” will be the things that get the band attention (much like “Tight Pants” a few years back), because (whether it’s on purpose or not) the band is pretty adapt and charming at stroking hot button issues amongst hipsters and hipster-haters (and hipster hipster-haters) alike. But if all you know or pay attention to are Ninjasonik at their most bloggable moments, then you’re truly missing out from a wealth of pure, unadulterated exuberance.

I’ve seen, heard and read people compare Ninjasonik to 2 Live crew, but that just downplays how witty and intelligent Ninjasonik really are. This is actually a License to Ill for a new generation of reprobates out for a good time, and how could we not co-sign on that?

- My Pal the Crook