Labcabincalifornia

People who love the idea of hip-hop and believe it can be as complex and broadly emotional as any music, but who are weary of the rigidity with which rappers define themselves, salivate over groups like the Pharcyde. The foursome comes from the gangsta rap mecca of South Central L.A. but their musical vision veers closer to the worldwide vibe of east coasters De La Soul than any Gat-toting sellout. Their 1992 debut Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde unveiled a group with flair and personality--both smart and whimsical--and an honesty rarely heard in rhyme.

During the three years that followed its release, group members Imani, Tre, Romye, and Fatlip moved from their Pharcyde Manor in South Central to a suburban L.A. home/studio, Lab Cabin. The long-awaited sophomore effort, Labcabincalifornia, reflected the group's new environment with a sound more polished, more mature, but a lot less uproarious than before.

The group apparently labored meticulously in Lab Cabin, where they cleaned and tightened the Pharcyde sound. But, it seems their upscaled style sanitized the energy and enthusiasm so abundant on Bizarre Ride. Tracks like "Runnin'" and "She Said" roll with more subdued and disciplined west coast jazz/soul samples and feature technically strong but often aimless and uninteresting rapping. Even a promising cut titled "Splattitorium" turns out to be a quiet stoned mumble over mellow piano tinkles. Perhaps with Labcabin, the Pharcyde guys grew too much. Hopefully next time around they'll remember how to be kids again. --Roni Sarig