The Spill Magazine The Spill Magazine
The Spill Magazine The Spill Magazine
The Spill Magazine The Spill Magazine
  • Reviews
    • Album Reviews
    • Features
    • Live Reviews
    • Festivals
  • Portraits
  • Headlines
    • News
    • Contests
    • Events
    • Entertainment Headlines
    • Concert Listings
    • Toronto Concert Venues
  • New Music
    • Premieres
    • Track Of The Day
  • Track Of The Week
  • Books + Movies
  • About
16
new
SPILL MUSIC PREMIERE: THE MARCH DIVIDE – “KING OF THE LOST CAUSE”
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: THOMAS DOLLBAUM – WELLSWOOD
SPILL NEW MUSIC: DIANA ROSS FT. TAME IMPALA RELEASE HIGHLY ANTICIPATED NEW SINGLE “TURN UP THE SUNSHINE”
SPILL NEW MUSIC: HOUSEWIFE SHARE BRAND NEW TRACK “PATRICK BATEMAN”
SPILL VIDEO PREMIERE: STILL EIGHTEEN – “KEEP ROCKING”
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: AVI KAPLAN – FLOATING ON A DREAM
SPILL VIDEO PREMIERE: COMING UP ROSES – “WOULD YOU EVER”
SPILL FEATURE: SONGS FROM PEOPLE ARE ALSO SONGS ABOUT PEOPLE – A CONVERSATION WITH DARI MAKSYMOVA OF 6TH CROWD
SPILL VIDEO PREMIERE: LOST CAT – “LOSERS BEWARE”
SPILL VIDEO PREMIERE: FÉNIXDION – “SUGAR”
SPILL VIDEO PREMIERE: BIBLIOTEKA – “TICK TOCK”
SPILL NEW MUSIC: GWAR HAVE GONE BERSERK! CHECK OUT THE NEW SONG “BERSERKER MODE” OUT NOW
SPILL NEW MUSIC: QUEEN KWONG RELEASES HER TAKE ON A ‘POP’ SONG “WITHOUT YOU, WHATEVER”
SPILL VIDEO PREMIERE: ART D’ECCO – “MIDLIFE CRISIS”
SPILL NEW MUSIC: YUNGBLUD ANNOUNCES SELF-TITLED THIRD STUDIO ALBUM SET FOR RELEASE SEPTEMBER 2 VIA LOCOMOTION/GEFFEN RECORDS
SPILL NEWS: CANADIAN PUNK LEGENDS DAYGLO ABORTIONS HIT THE ROAD WITH CITIZEN RAGE FOR A CROSS CANADA TOUR
  • Reviews
    • Album Reviews
    • Features
    • Live Reviews
    • Festivals
  • Portraits
  • Headlines
    • News
    • Contests
    • Events
    • Entertainment Headlines
    • Concert Listings
    • Toronto Concert Venues
  • New Music
    • Premieres
    • Track Of The Day
  • Track Of The Week
  • Books + Movies
  • About
  • Spill Menu
    • Reviews
      • Album Reviews
      • Features
      • Live Reviews
      • Festivals
    • Portraits
    • Headlines
      • News
      • Contests
      • Events
      • Entertainment Headlines
      • Concert Listings
      • Toronto Concert Venues
    • New Music
      • Premieres
      • Track Of The Day
    • Track Of The Week
    • Books + Movies
    • About
Album Reviews
1
709
previous article
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: LOST UNDER HEAVEN - LOVE HATES WHAT YOU BECOME
next article
SPILL LIVE REVIEW: PETER MURPHY w/ DAVID J @ THE VOGUE THEATRE, VANCOUVER

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: MALIBU KEN – MALIBU KEN

Malibu Ken

Malibu Ken
Malibu Ken
Rhymesayers Entertainment

As of 2016’s The Impossible Kid, it seems that Aesop Rock has been trying to make more accessible music. He and producer Tobacco, forming the duo “Malibu Ken”, go back to the basics for this collaboration album.

Aesop Rock’s trademark humor is still intact. “Corn Maze” has the same feel as his classic work, while on “Tuesday” he details fungus and how life thrives more when left alone.

He revisits the story of Ricky Kasso on the song “Acid King” (he briefly mentioned him on “Catacomb Kings”), which was also the title of a 2018 book. Kasso epitomized the satanic panic of the 1980s that blamed heavy metal music for a spree of murders. Aesop Rock tells Kasso’s story point-by-point on the track.

Tobacco (of Black Moth Super Rainbow) stands out with his lo-fi and synth production, most impressive on the song “Sword Box”, which epitomizes an 8-bit style. Tobacco relies on his trademark synths for Aesop to plow through.

The album’s low-key feel makes it seem like an effortless attempt from Aesop Rock. Though neither as personal as The Impossible Kid nor as dense as Labor Days and None Shall Pass, Malibu Ken is still familiar territory for a rapper whose lyrics continue to befuddle audiences.

If you’re a fan of the Def Jux days, then you’ll like this one. While it’s not quite as psychedelic as the lead single “Acid King” or album art would have you believe, the production is quirky and Aesop Rock delivers solid raps.



Artist Links

website_flat_2016 facebook_flat_2016 twitter_flat_2016 instagram_flat_2016

Item Reviewed

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: MALIBU KEN – MALIBU KEN

Author

Brian Capitao

Here's what we think...
Spill Rating
Fan Rating
Rate Here
New Criteria
10
—
8.0
Total Spill Rating
—
Total Fan Rating
You have rated this
Album Reviews
aesop rockalbum reviewalbum reviewsmalibu kenrhymesayers entertainmenttobacco
aesop rock, album review, album reviews, malibu ken, rhymesayers entertainment, tobacco
About the Author
Brian Capitao
Brian Capitao is a freelance writer and editor of https://deepfreezechillin.com. He has a passion for hip hop and hosts a podcast in Toronto called The Freeze, your weekly dose of hip hop chatter.
RELATED ARTICLES
aesop rockalbum reviewalbum reviews
 
10
Aesop Rock
11.5

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: AESOP ROCK – THE IMPOSSIBLE KID

by Alyson Shane on April 29, 2016
Aesop Rock The Impossible Kid Rhymesayers Entertainment One of the most powerful things about hip-hop is it’s ability to present complex, dark, and deeply personal thoughts and feelings. [...]

Latest Album Reviews
View All
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: THOMAS DOLLBAUM – WELLSWOOD
8.0
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: AVI KAPLAN – FLOATING ON A DREAM
8.0
—
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: VARIOUS ARTISTS – PAY IT ALL BACK VOL. 8
9.0
—
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: SAY SUE ME – THE LAST THING LEFT
8.0
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: JOHN INGHRAM – JOHN INGHRAM
8.0

Tweets by @spillmagazine

SPILL MAGAZINE MENU
  • Home | The Spill Magazine
  • Premieres
  • Track Of The Week
  • Album Reviews
  • Books + Movies
  • Features
  • Live Reviews
  • Festivals
  • Portraits
  • News
  • Events
  • Entertainment Headlines
  • Concert Listings
  • Toronto Concert Venues
  • About Us
  • Contests
  • New Music
  • Spill Magazine Contributors
  • TOTD
  • Privacy Policy
  • The Scene Unseen
  • Newsletter

Copyright © 2022 | The Spill Magazine
All Rights Reserved.

TRENDING RIGHT NOW
   
 
SPILL FEATURE: CRUISE TO THE EDGE 2022 – THIS YEAR’S PROG CRUISE MAKES A LOT OF NOISE. A WHOLE LOT OF NOISE.
689
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: PRIMUS – CONSPIRANOID
446
 
SPILL FEATURE: DANCE TO THE PERFECT MESS – A CONVERSATION WITH CARL MARSH OF SHRIEKBACK
410
 
SPILL FEATURE: DON’T YOU FEEL CLOSER? – A CONVERSATION WITH CY CURNIN OF THE FIXX
396
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: MEN WITHOUT HATS – AGAIN (PART 2)
326
 
SPILL NEWS: BARENAKED LADIES TO RELEASE LIVE TRACKS FROM SOLD-OUT ROYAL ALBERT HALL SHOW | DELUXE EDITION OF ‘DETOUR DE FORCE’ OUT JUNE 3
325
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS – UNLIMITED LOVE
315
 
SPILL LIVE REVIEW: JERRY CANTRELL w/ LOLA COLETTE @ HISTORY, TORONTO
288
 
SPILL VIDEO PREMIERE: LOST CAT – “L.O.S.T.”
275
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: TANGERINE DREAM – RAUM
272
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: NAZARETH – SURVIVING THE LAW
260
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: VR SEX – ROUGH DIMENSION
257
 
SPILL NEW MUSIC: VENUS BEMUS RELEASES DEBUT SINGLE “STORMS”
251
ENTERTAINMENT HEADLINES