VENOM OF CERRONE

This eery as all hell Arsonists 12" isn't listed when you look them up on Wikipedia. This record was released under the host of the White Rapper Show's label (Serchlite) in 1998. These tracks are off the (A)rson side of the record; the (B)urn side features the song, "Seed" (not uploaded here, 'cause we want y'all to dig! lol) The recording and mix engineer on "Venom" is listed as the assistant engineer on such classic hip hop records like Gangstarr's "You Know My Steez," Jeru's first two albums "The Sun Rises in the East," "Wrath of the Math," and Smif-n-Wesson's "Dah Shinin'." His name is Max Vargas. He's part of that Eddie Sancho, Norty Cotto, Luis Tineo (is he related to Ju Ju-aka Jerry Tineo from the Beatnuts? anybody know?), etc. D&D crew when David Carpenter was manager-- the guys who Premier relied on so heavily throughout the years. These guys perfected the science of creation for the grimey underground rap 12" anything they're involved with usually results in the listener back-slicing a Swisher with their thumbnail. Q-Unique produced this joint by liberally lifting the very end of the Cerrone superjammie, "Supernature" like a muhfuckin' g.

Cerrone is a trip in and of hisself. Wiki his ass and find out. Here's a snippet from it concerning this song, making this record kind of even more of a must have now:

The song "Supernature" has a sci-fi theme: it's about the rebellion of mutant creatures — created by scientists to end starvation among mankind — against the humans. It also featured "Sweet Drums", a three-minute-and-ten-second drum breakdown. The original French album cover was again different, having a gatefold opening with nudes in the centre.

But as of now I don't have it, so I have to rely on Seeqpod's search engine to show y'all what Q-Unique did. Go to the end of the drum breakdown and you'll get the gist.

Basically (and I mean that in the best way possible), he flips between the two loops of tinkling stuff that run consecutively right after the drums verb out. The simplicity of the programming/sequencing allows the dudes at D&D (Mr. Vargas in this case) a lot of room to perform their voodoo, which is evidenced in the embedded nuances that you don't notice at first like the subtle delay on the heartbeat-type kick in the intro. I don't know if that was Vargas' or Q-Unique's idea as the latter is given a co-mixing credit, but whoever it was is a sneaky fucking genius 'cause it's pure dope.

"Show fright and prey gets swallowed in one bite."

VENOM