Trinity

Reviewed by:
David Peisner

No one would deny the serious lyrical prowess of Detroit rappers Slum Village. MCs Baatin and T3 made it clear they were inspired rhyme-spinners on the group’s acclaimed debut, Fantastic Volume 2, and the addition of another MC, Elzhi, only adds more ideas to the heady mix for their second album. But Trinity falls short on the sonic side of the fence. Working mostly without the fluid musical backdrops of producer Jay Dee, who twiddled the knobs on their debut, the trio’s forceful rhymes feel flat. The P-Funk-ish bass line running beneath the album’s “Intro” is hardly ambitious, and even the lyrics sound like de rigeur hip-hop self-hype. Some might call the combination of thumping beats that pulse behind “All-Te-Ment” spare or even haunting, but frankly, it’s just dull. “Tainted” sports a cool De La Soul vibe and “LA LA” follows in this melodic, downbeat vein, but as SV hits the homestretch of Trinity, all the slow, nodding grooves just put us to sleep.

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