Deadverse Massive Vol.1

Though the left-field hip-hop group Dalek (composed of DJ Oktopus and MC dalek) released a full-length album in February of 2007 -- the spectacular Abandoned Language -- less than six months later they came out with another set. Not that this material is new: almost all of it had been issued before, mostly on 12", though there are a few never-before-heard songs, too ("Music for Asm" and "Angst"), along with a fair share of remixes, all of which are interesting enough to give new perspective to the songs, and are worth hearing. It's as much about the production here as it is the rapping, which means that there are plenty of instrumental bits throughout the album, either between verses or comprising the entire track, giving the compilation a very ambient, atmospheric feel, more suited to background than foreground listening (though there are a few cuts -- "In This City," "Maintain," "Vague Recollection," for example -- that merit careful listening). Rarities is clearly not the album for a Dalek neophyte to begin with (rarities never are), but it's an interesting collection for a fan, especially one who doesn't want to track all the individual singles down, and helps to add to the intrigue of this impressive group. ~ Marisa Brown