Sortahuman – Stonergang (2011) [Self-Released] // Grade B

Let me be clear: there is an A album in here. Sortahuman offers a pretty brilliant take on energetic Southern bangers that range from epic anthems, to menacing creepers. But there is just too much material here. Even the trimmed down 14 track version winds up feeling burdensome coming in at 1 hour and 7 minutes. In their defense it’s not because of any error on their part, it’s moreso a matter of Sortahuman needing to find a way to fit 3 (and often 4 with the frequent Dizzy D contributions) guys, onto a song that should ideally come in at 3’30″ maximum. The format for hip hop and music in general has shifted. It’s not that we aren’t willing to listen to longer songs, but at this point the strongest artists are the ones who can get their work done in the shortest time span, and then break from the restraint with dramatic effect.

But ultimately, a record that’s too long still gets listened to, it just rarely gets listened to in its entirety. Stonergang picks up where Lysergic Bliss left off but takes a definitive turn towards a slightly darker tinge. The exuberance and enthusiasm are still here, but this record feels less patient, and more imposing. Lysergic Bliss carried us along and showed us how Sortahuman rolls, but Stonergang kinda throws you in the trunk. The sinister element is largely inspired by the presence of SpaceGhostPurrp, but it’s upheld by the majority of the beats on the record. Blockbeataz, Dizzy D, Cold Casey, BKMT, and myself all contributed beats that wind up leaving the record more haunted than hoppin’. I mean the record definitely bumps, but it’s not doing it in an even remotely wholesome way. The BKMT produced closer Rapture Quest could very well be the dying gasps of a thousand years of music. Even though it’s not in a minor key, and it’s not particularly sinister-sounding, its most sinister elements wind up coming through.

It’s frustrating being on the outside, and there aren’t a lot of white-skinned faces on this Wave that’s coming up. So, it’s not too much of a reach to assume that what we’re hearing here is in part a response to the lack of reception their first album received (but my correspondences with Supa are the real source of that insight). When Supa chants “D-I-Y Till I Die” on the likewise-titled track it’s as much a threat as a declaration. While ASAP Rocky dropped a mixtape and rose to the top as if by virtue of a golden ticket and the Wonka elevator ride that comes with it (that’s nothing against Rocky, just stating the facts), Sortahuman dropped an album and a follow-up with very little reception thus far. So, as they’re chanting “D-I-Y Till I Die” it’s as much a solution to their dilemma as it is the chorus to the song.

If you ride in a car you should get this record. If you smoke drugs and get rowdy you should get this record. If you drink and get loose you should get this record. There are a lot of other reasons for you to get this record, but I feel like those three will cover most of the readers. And, while Sortahuman is definitely still developing, and working out some of the kins their sound is dialed in. They’re takin it back but takin’ it forward too, and doin’ it in a way that is very difficult to ignore so it’s just a matter of time before they hit.

- Zachg