The Insomniaddicts
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The Insomniaddicts

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"Don't Sleep On These Guys"

Many in music ride a gimmick, and for the three MCs of Insomniaddicts (what a mouthful), their point of sale is their welcomed war with sleep deprivation. This would be annoying if the 'Addicts were awful--but they're not. Like many San Franciscan indie-rap groups, they trade off throwing tounge-twisters over rolling, organic beats that mingle with interludes of scratching. Don't sleep on these guys. -Editor's Review 8/12/06 - download.com


"...great piece of art, and not just music."

Insomniaddicts - Eventide Revery
Written by LaRosa Johnson
Saturday November 4, 2006
originally published at trailblazinministries.com

When I think of underground hip-hop, I picture emcees coming from all over the states, but California seems to be one of those states that I don't seem to think about. When I think of California, I tend to think about fun rhymes ala LA Symphony or gangsta rap like that of the Gospel Gangstaz; underground hip-hop doesn't even make a blip on the radar, especially not San Francisco. Well it is from this city that an underground hip-hop crew has emerged to rock the microphone and the MPC. The crew is the Insomniaddicts, indeed a very unique name for a crew. This review is for the release of their current album titled Eventide Revery.

Now, when I first got this album and looked at the title, I had no idea what Eventide Revery meant; I just figured that it would have something to do with their name and insomnia. Well, I didn't even look up the words "eventide" and "revery" until just now while writing this review, and Eventide Revery would be defined as a late afternoon or evening daydream or meditation. Quite interesting when you really think about it and then give the album a full listen.

Now, as I said, the Insomiaddicts are underground hip-hop artists, so that is exactly what you get with this project. Scott the Wanderer and the Microphone Astronaut (Wanderer & Micronaut for short) offer up many thought provoking rhymes over very eclectic beats that are both melodic and space-like, which lends itself perfectly to the title Eventide Revery. With only two tracks with guest emcees, you get to hear plenty of these two emcees present material that covers a range of emotions and subjects. All of the songs are somewhat spiritual in nature, but "Solo Scriptura" and the hidden bonus track are two tracks that are overtly spiritual in their content and drive lay to rest any thought that these may or may not be Christian emcees (for those that may question). You also get upbeat tracks that are both hip-hop fun and intellectual with tracks like "Addicts" and "Pause Mix Technique;" on both of these tracks you get to hear plenty of DJ scratching that take hip-hop back to its roots.

In regards to the production, it is very solid throughout. There is a great balance between spacey laid back beats ("Space Rhyme Continuum" & "Change") and rugged hip-hop beats with that boom bap feel ("From the Mentals"). The sampling on Eventide Revery is well thoughtout & put in the most appropriate places. I really loved the sample from Slingblade on "Solo Scriptura" and then the old western cuts that are scattered throughout "Deadwood." Alongside their own production, they also call on other producers such as Signalias, FabDaEclectic, Dave Slayer and Chef1; the combination of all these producers lends to a very well balanced sounding project.

Overall, Wanderer and Micronaut put together an album that they can be proud of. This isn't your typical underground hip-hop; it is very spacey & thought provoking, which makes this an album that you definitely want to listen to several times over. Now, the album does feel drawn out in places, but even that aside, Eventide Revery is a project that you'll want to keep in constant rotation, not only to appreciate the lyricism but to kick back and have your own midafternoon meditations. At first, I wasn't sure what I thought about this project, but after digesting it, I must say that this is a great piece of art, and not just music. Do yourself a favor and pick this album up! - trailblazinministries.com


"...a 15-year upgrade on P.M. Dawn ballads."

Insomniaddicts - Eventide Revery
Written by Brian Hull
November 21, 2006
originally published at okayplayer.com

My roommate in college was a Christian Rock guy. It's an industry built upon preaching to an audience that's already converted. Sure, there were exceptions, like The Normals, who wrote songs around personal flaws and superimposed them into character studies of biblical heroes, but as a genre, it's a fire and brimstone sermon broadcast over a congregation that had to believe enough to buy the record in the first place. The Insomniaddicts debut record Eventide Revery, falls into step with my stereotypical expectations for born again artists.

The Insomniaddicts are clearly making efforts to expand the language and flow of Hip Hop, but these efforts are clumsily executed. At times The Wanderer has a cedar season nasal delivery that lacks dynamic interest. Vocal rhythms occasionally ignore the groove, wandering through florally appointed metaphors before stumbling upon the downbeat. Their sophisticated vocabulary lends a poetic slant, but often threatens to implode from its pretension. Like the twist on Hip Hops obligatory gunshot samples in "Deadwood," where Wanderer and Micro try to back down a stick up kid by witnessing to him! If you're thug because you're anti-thug, what plane of thug consciousness do you ascend to?

Eventide Revery's saving grace is the production, which is inspired, mellow, and casually lopes behind the beat. In effect it is closer to down tempo electronica or IDM, but with enough of a kick-snare foundation to frame up the emcees rhymes. While the Insomniaddicts inspiration grew out of golden era emcees, the production could easily be a 15-year upgrade on P.M. Dawn ballads. (That's not a dig, P.M. Dawn were too quickly forgotten in the pantheon of Hip Hop, they deserved more.)

In his liner note comments, Microphone Astronaut apologizes, "Sorry if it's not hip-hop enough, but it is what it is." While writing down the street at my neighborhood cafe, sometimes timid troubadours step onstage and preface with, "I can't really play guitar." An audience secret, if we were disinterested before, we're outright ignoring someone that lacks enough confidence to unapologetically stand behind what they're offering up. My point? Micro, you believe God has chosen this path for you, so act like it.

- Brian Hull - okayplayer.com


Discography

"Office Space" (Fall '07)
"Case of the Mundanes (The Single)" 7/07
"Eventide Revery" 8/06
"Space Rhyme Continuum EP" 8/05
"Thought Provoking Music" 6/02

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Bio

Hailing from the streets of San Francisco, two life long friends unite to form a spiritually thought-provoking lyrical juggernaut known as The Insomniaddicts. Answering as many rhetorical questions as they are asking, The Insomniaddicts wax poetic over gritty, minimalist boom-bap infused tracks, (pleasing even the most elite underground enthusiast), forcing the listener to step outside any preconceived notions about God, hip-hop and life in general, questioning their own reason of being.

Born and raised on the streets of San Francisco, microphone astronaut and The Wanderer were close friends years before either one picked up the mike. Founding members of the infamous EMB skateboard crew, the two roamed the red bricks of Justin Herman Plaza for years with the rest of the crew-absorbing daily what would now be referred to as the golden age of hip-hop. From east coast originators, A Tribe Called Quest, Main Source, Eric B and Rakim, EPMD, Special Ed, Big Daddy Kane and De La Soul to left coast mainstays Too Short, JT the Bigga Figga, 415, Hugh EMC, IMP, NWA, Pharcyde, Hieroglyphics and countless others began to shape and mold what would become the encompassing lyrical library the two would draw from in the future, to compose their daily observances into social commentary and diatribes.

Microphone astronaut was the first to grab the pen and the pad. Sometime in 1990, along with fellow EMB heads G-Man and Bobcat, the three made a spur of the moment ‘ode to EMB’ song using Above The Law instrumentals, recording on nothing more than two turntables and a cassette deck. From that moment, microphone astronaut was hooked on writing rhymes. Heavily influenced by fellow EMB alum Kold Blue to create story-telling narratives, micro honed his skills with the pen. A few years later The Wanderer would pick-up the urge to write.

In the summers of 1993-1994 God began to move heavily on the lives of some of the crew. Reuniting under the banner of Christ, microphone astronaut and The Wanderer began to seriously pursue their passion for this pensive pen play. Producing their own tracks with a humble home studio, consisting of the Boss DR-5 Dr. Rhythm and a Tascam 424mkII cassette 4-track recorder. The first track to emerge from this new union, aptly titled The Underground Compound, was “Silence of the Lambs” a track about believers not witnessing or speaking the Word when the time was appropriate, letting the blind lead the blind.

For the next decade, the two would continue to grow both spiritually and artistically, becoming influenced by the likes of Future Shock, Aceyalone, Abstract Rude, Busdriver, LPG, Lifesavas and Brainwash Projects to name a few. From borrowed equipment to pushing the limits of home studio recording, the only thing that stopped the sessions was the sun rising to greet the next morning. Progressively becoming more precise in their writing skills, the two recorded over 40 tracks between 2001-2005, finally releasing their long anticipated debut CD in August of 2006, titled “Eventide Revery”. 16 tracks showcasing both their love for the classic hip-hop infused tracks as well as waxing philosophical and musing on more poignant, melancholy subject matter usually not touched by the average emcee nowadays.

Seeking to bring their spiritual gifts to the forefront, not necessarily as focused on moving the crowd as much as moving minds, The Insomniaddicts continue to push the proverbial envelope of forward thinking, in efforts to break the box, whose stigmas pigeonhole similar spiritual minded artists. By developing a style that reflects not only the social climate of today, but simultaneously providing answers through this gift of rhyme, The Insomniaddicts hope to shine light upon their own niche of hip-hop.