Genre Mix Masters: It Works

Revolution (Maverick Recording Company)

Insolence

By Amanda L. Hettinger

Oh my, what's a girl to do? Sublime, Limp Bizkit and System of a Down all rolled into one disc? This is just too much, or maybe it is what we have all been waiting for.

No, Revolution by Insolence is just what the overindulged pop market needs. With sounds stemming from reggae to rock to funk to hip-hop, Insolence is beginning to make a name for themselves outside of their Maverick Records recording studio.

Insolence has been featured on the Little Nicky ("Natural High") soundtrack as well as the Driven soundtrack ("Poison Well", "Breakdown"). This past October brought yet a third soundtrack for DreamWorks' The Last Castle ("Poison Well").

Revolution is a dynamic and diverse sample of just a bit of what this talented sextet can achieve, plus the parental advisory makes things all the more racy.

Opening the disc is a fast-thumping and constantly changing track entitled "Death Throat." One minute the track has an underground beat with scratching, the next minute there is an upbeat reggae sound, then slow and temperamental, only to wind up into a heavy rock scream mixed with more scratching.

"Head 2 Head" is more like an air raid warning with bits of scratching and rock. Think Limp Bizkit meets War, with an intermission supplied by Rastas.

"Poison Well" is a perfect song for racing. I suppose this is how it found a home in Driven. If only I had a cute little raced-out import and a windy road.

"Natural High" opens with a strong funk beat mixed with scratching, only to play ping-pong with dark rock sounds.

I was and always will be a Sublime fan, which makes "Revolution" one of my favorite tracks on this disc. Insolence does a superb job of mixing funk, reggae, punk and rock into one forceful song that makes you get off your bum.

Further down the line we find a little ditty entitled "Mad Science II." Taking a break from the vocals, the band allows their sampling and mixing talents to take center stage. Very underground and a bit hip-hop, this track allows us to see just one of the many facets that has come together to form Insolence.

Vocals take backstage once again with "Sativa," focusing on the instrumental talents of the bands. Think Beastie Boys meets Sublime, very laid back and refreshing.

I cannot stress enough what a wonderful and superior job these guys have done with taking various genres and forming them into a whole new way of music. When artists begin to mix `n' mingle, the public is allowed to experience new and fresh ideas and concepts in music, which is what the field is all about.