Hangar 18

Sweep The Leg

[3.5/5]


Whether it’s the Karate Kid joke in their second album title, the AC/DC-aping cover art or a first single touting baking soda as the new crack, it’s clear Hangar 18 represent the lighter (though still smart) side of fabled hip-hop indie Def Jux. That message is driven home by the preponderance of ready-to-party beats on Sweep The Leg, primarily produced with old-school élan by Paul “DJ pawl” Iannacchino and featuring a generous dose of live instrumentation. The positive-minded “Think Big” is the best Golden Age tune released this year, with its honking sax lick and “go-go get it” affirmation. Meanwhile, relax your vigilant listening of Tim “Alaska” Baker and Ian “Windbreeeze” McMullin’s precise, rapid-fire rhymes, and tracks like the booty-bumping “Really Wide” could conceivably sneak the Hangar’s humor into a mainstream that could desperately use it. (DEF JUX) Dan LeRoy