Reverb and the Verse

Reverb and the Verse isn't the first act to bring together hip-hop with experimental electronic music. The lyrics that flow across this release aren't just rapped, though; they're delivered like a soul song. "Split" sounds like what might have happened if Trent Reznor had tried his hand at hip-hop a...

By Tom Murphy

April 26, 2011

[
        {
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Inline Content - Mobile Display Size",
          "component": "12017618",
          "insertPoint": "2",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "2"
        },{
          "name": "Editor Picks",
          "component": "17242653",
          "insertPoint": "4",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "1"
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "18838239",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "17261320",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "18838239",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Air - Leaderboard Tower - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "17261321",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        }
      ]

Reverb and the Verse isn't the first act to bring together hip-hop with experimental electronic music. The lyrics that flow across this release aren't just rapped, though; they're delivered like a soul song. "Split" sounds like what might have happened if Trent Reznor had tried his hand at hip-hop a song or two beyond "Down in It." But it's this band's willingness to move in and out of a mood and style from song to song that keeps D.E.P.T.H. C.H.A.R.G.E.S from wearing thin inside its sprawling eighteen tracks. "Even Deeper," especially with Tisha Luna's vocals, would be a modern example of trip-hop; so would a number of other tracks on this album, for that matter. But mostly, what we have here is a straightahead hip-hop album made by people aware of the mainstream's shortcomings.

KEEP WESTWORD FREE... Since we started Westword, it has been defined as the free, independent voice of Denver, and we'd like to keep it that way. Your membership allows us to continue offering readers access to our incisive coverage of local news, food, and culture with no paywalls. You can support us by joining as a member for as little as $1.

Tom Murphy is a writer, visual artist and musician from Aurora, Colorado. He was a prolific music writer for Westword and a documenter of the Denver music scene.

Follow:

Twitter: @simianthinker