"A Lesson in Arts and KRFTs"

MSTRKRFT - Fist of God

Record Label: Dim-Mak Records
Date of Release: March 17th, 2009
Produced By: Jesse F. Keeler and Al Puodziukas

Track Listing:
1. It Ain’t Love feat. Lil Mo
2. 1000 Cigarettes
3. Bounce feat. N.O.R.E. & Isis
4. VuVuVu
5. Heartbreaker feat. John Legend
6. Fist of God
7. So Deep feat. Jahmal (The Carps)
8. Click Click feat. E-40
9. Word Up feat. Ghostface Killah
10. Breakaway feat. Jahmal (The Carps)
11. 1000 Cigarettes feat. Freeway

Electro music fans: rejoice! After a gestation period of more than two years, Jesse F. Keeler (JFK) and Al Puodziukas (Al-P), the diabolical combination that is MSTRKRFT (pronounced “masterkraft”), have followed up their highly successful 2006 album ‘The Looks’, with their much anticipated second LP, ‘Fist of God’. Thankfully, it sounds much better than what the album cover would lead you to believe.
Back in April 2008, JFK and Al-P gave us a taste of what was to come for the new album with their ‘Bounce EP’, which included the singles ‘Bounce’, featuring N.O.R.E. and Isis (of Thunderheist fame) on vocals, as well as ‘VuVuVu’. These two teaser tracks set the precedent for the new album. The trademark synths, claps, drums, and hats that make up that unmistakable MSTRKRFT sound were still very much intact, but now they were paired up with rap vocals that immediately brought to mind the techno movement of the 80’s which saw electronic music and would-be rappers in unison. A modern interpretation of this could never be a bad idea, but what would loyal fans think of this shift in sound?

Fast forward eight months and what we have is an innovative final product that is nothing like we have ever heard from Jesse and Al, but is still undeniably MSTRKRFT. The electro/rap hybrid holds true for the majority of the album, featuring the aforementioned collaborations on ‘Bounce’, as well as the likes of John Legend, Ghostface Killah, and more.

My first run through of the album had me picking and choosing tracks as opposed to listening to it from beginning to end, and admittedly, it left me a bit cold. After listening to it from start to finish, proper justice was given to the album. Unlike many electronic albums that are merely a collection of “bangers” per se, ‘Fist of God’ thankfully avoids this trap, proving to be not an album of eleven assorted tracks, but a mosaic of different sounds that come together as one cohesive “piece”. The transition from track to track is so fluid and discreet that you’d be hard pressed to detect a break between songs. This album will be an absolute treat to listen to on vinyl.

And the tracks themselves? Have MSTRKRFT gone soft? Diehard fans need not worry. The sound that made ‘The Looks’ so appealing is still there and is arguably more concentrated than ever. Tracks like ‘Fist of God’, ‘Click Click’, and ‘Word Up’ have that “shoot me in the face” sound that will be a staple at electro parties the world over. While these tracks are great and are why we all love MSTRKRFT, it is the John Legend collaboration track, ‘Heartbreaker’ that really grabs me. A great riff with lyrics that – dare I say it, are almost poetic – sung by a more than competent singer, and this listener is blown away. Maybe I’m easy to please, but I feel like a proud father watching his kids grow – these guys have harnessed their sound and applied it in such a different way than what we are used to. With results as great as these, it’s hard not to smile. This is progress, and the results are unquestionable.

This album really is the logical extension of ‘The Looks’. Much like how that album changed the game up, this one does so as well, blowing convention completely out of the water. These guys are absolute masters at what they do, and are willing to bend the rules instead of playing it safe. As a result, they’ve not only catered to their diehard fans, but they’ve also broadened their sound enough to reach a wider audience. Most importantly however, is that they have done so without compromise. One can only imagine what LP#3 has in store, and in typical MSTRKRFT fashion, it is already in progress. Until then, whether you want to napalm your brain on the dance floor or just chill out, ‘Fist of God’ orders up an eclectic selection of tracks that is sure to fit the bill for a wide range of music lovers alike. Just don’t look at the album cover.


www.myspace.com/mstrkrft