Malachai - Return To The Ugly Side

Malachai is stoner funk. Released in late February, Return To The Ugly Side is dark and creepy. Listening to it makes me feel like it's Halloween in the dead of winter and I have a shotgun. In other words, there is a general and well-mixed blend of uneasiness and stability.

They have a sound that I've never really heard before. I can't even make abstract comparisons to anything. As a result, Malachai is really in a world of their own. They are individualistic enough to be unrecognizable but for themselves; its hard to listen to Malachai without realizing it's them. It's kind of like how when you hear something by Animal Collective you just know it's AC and that it can't be anyone else.

Despite its total unfamiliarity, Return To The Ugly Side is an excellent album. I listened with confusion and curiosity, but it still captivated me to the point that I listened four times straight (it's a quick 35-minute, 14-track compilation). What draws you in is the fact that they borrow from a motley of genres. There really is something that appeals to everyone as long as you can get over the initial moments of unchartered territory.

Verdict: 4.0/5. Favorite tracks: Monsters, Anne, Rainbows, (My) Ambulance, Distance, The Don't Just, How You Write, Let 'Em Fall, and HyperNation.

iTunes is the only place I can find the tracks for sampling. Let 'Em Fall is one of their more normal songs, but it's not at all indicative of their overall sound.

Best, Jonathan