02/03/12: Alias - Resurgam (2008)

02/03/12: Alias - Resurgam (2008)

1. New To A Few
2. I Heart Drum Machines
3. Well Water Black (feat. Yoni Wolf of Why?)
4. Oakland Morning
5. M.G. Jack
6. Prelude To A Death Watch
7. Death Watch
8. Place Of No More Choices
9. Resurgam
10. Autumnal Ego
11. Weathering
12. Justamachine
13. Oakland In The Rearview

     Alias is an abstract hip hop artist and producer. He is one of the founding members of one of my personal favorite record labels, Anticon. I have only heard his production work. Never really heard him rap though. This album is called Resurgam which is the motto of his hometown Portland Maine and means "I Shall Rise Again". Alias or Brendon Whitney moved to LA to work on getting Anticon started. He moved back to Portland almost 10 years later and released this album in response.
     His style is varied and takes from many influences like old school hip hop, indie rock, and abstract electronica. This album encompasses all the different things he has to offer like drum machines, live instrumentation like guitar parts, samples, and synthesizers. Resurgam opens with a couple beat heavy old school hiphop tracks but jumps all over stylistically after that. The varied styles in every song showcase the different things he can do like the ambient guitar track "Oakland Morning", the chiptune themed title track "Resurgam" and the peaceful lo fi production of tracks like "Well Water Black" which features Yoni Wolf of Why? singing and rapping, creating the best track on the album.
     Despite the varying styles, the album feels unified in mood. The songs can sound drastically different but the always feel like a continuation on the theme. It feels a bit dark at times but more in a peaceful way. It just has a feel of being at peace with or accepting of something. Darker moments are bookended by a sound of peacefulness even when the drum machines are going the hardest. Good album, and will probably check out more of his stuff. (034)