By Mita Tate

“Bastard child of Reaganomics posed in a B-Boy stance,” MC Dalek raps on opening track “Distorted Prose.” This is essentially the entire lyrical concept of ‘Absence’. An album filled with pure hatred towards modern mainstream hip-hop politricks–specifically the complete commercialization of stereotypical black culture in America. Combining a unique blend of Jesus And Mary Chain-esque shoegaze, the post-industrial madness of Swans and a hardcore rapping style not seen since the days of Public Enemy, Dalek has earned a name for themselves as one of the most underrated noise/hip-hop outfits to date. After eight years of touring with everyone from Tomahawk and Isis to KRS-One and De La Soul as well as collaborating with Krautrock legends Faust and experimental electronics guru Kid606, Dalek has finally released their third full-length album ‘Absence’.

When first hearing the intro of “Culture For Dollars,” one might expect Carl Bart-influenced existentialism sung in the monotonous Ian Curtis-patented drone, however this is not the case. While the lyrical content on Absence might not be as bleak as Joy Division’s aural suicide letter Closer, they are still ominous, bleak tales of anger, oppression and most importantly alienation-something the modern hip-hop genre seems to be encouraging more and more with each top ten hit.

Unlike most hip-hop groups, the vocals are buried deep within the waves of distortion adding to the dense wall of sound carried throughout the entire duration of Absence. Most fans may also not appreciate MC Dalek’s slow, straightforward technique, but vocal gymnastics are not part of his agenda.

“Koner,” most likely named after ambient composer Thomas Koner, displays a “lighter side” of Dalek. Mixing elements of organic ambient music with layers of shimmery drone, this is the only time on Absence where Dalek seem content with their surroundings.

“Ever Somber” starts off as an experiment in psyched out shoegazing bliss but soon shows its true colors with heavy, broken beats and sinister overtones. Multiple layers of feedback mixed with harsh, industrial sludge, make this song a cross between My Bloody Valentine’s “Soon” and Swans’ “Sex, God, Sex.”

Absence is a difficult album by all standards and while dark, sampled sounds and sparse ambience might not make most music fans happy, for those who appreciate hip-hop sensibilities and post-industrial, urban soundscapes, Absence will be a ray of light.

The Chronicle gives ´Absence´, by Dalek four 1/2 out of five stars.