Album Review: Resurgam by Alias

Heavily influenced by his move back from Oakland, CA, to Portland, ME, Resurgam is left-field hip-hop producer Alias' homecoming album, one that completes what's likely an unintentional trilogy of "personal journey" albums. The homesick Muted came first in 2003, then 2005 saw the release of Lillian, a sweet, family-influenced album credited to Alias with his brother Ehren and named after their grandmother. Resurgam -- a Latin word meaning "I shall rise again" -- features the usual murky, misty, and melancholy touches that characterize Alias' work, but there's also a surprising amount of gentle, pleasant music that could help a mixtape transition from Ulrich Schnauss to Röyksopp.

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Review Summary: A lackluster album from a talented producer.Alias - ResurgamIn a year of stellar Shadow-inspired hip hop releases, it's not the record junkie sample wizard style that has impressed me most but the indie producer gone electronica album At War With Walls & Mazes by Son Lux. Son Lux is effectively a singer-songwriter but the "songwriter" part of that equation is a mix of breakbeat, r&b, trip hop, indie pop, and even folk. His music works on two important levels; as a singer-songwriter has to do, he writes great, emotive narratives, but more importantly, his actual production transcends the genre he is writing within by embracing so many unexpected genres.

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