Thunderheist — Thunderheist

Thunderheist

Big Dada/Outside

Kate Harper (CHARTattack)

04/03/2009 1:51pm

MC Isis and DJ Graham Zilla have become one of Toronto's most talked-about acts over the last few years. Their explosive shows have attracted much attention — just like another Toronto duo who we'll refrain from mentioning.

Thunderheist are finally putting out their debut full-length, and their songs don't really translate on disc. There are a few great moments on the album, like "Sweet 16," "Space Cowboy," the standout "Bubblegum" and "Jerk It," which originally garnered them some buzz. But there are some parts which really lag.

"Slow Roll" sounds like it uses a sample of Snoop Dogg's "Drop It Like It's Hot," (but it doesn't) which only makes it sound slower and more tired than Isis' drawn-out delivery. It also probably doesn't help that the sample isn't used creatively and doesn't really add anything to the track. "Freddie," with its amusing refrain of "Freddie, wipe your nose," has the potential to be a dance floor hit, but it gets stuck in repetition.

It took Thunderheist a couple of years to put this album out, which is surprising considering that it sounds thrown together at times. They should probably spend the next few years honing their studio skills a bit more so those who're familiar with their aces performances aren't left disappointed with their recordings.

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