Release date: 29th July 2002

After the success of his first two 12" releases, Heavy Artillery and Crop Circles, Killa Kela releases his debut album 'The Permanent Marker' on UK hip hop imprint Jazz Fudge. Released on 29th July 2002.

After having this in my CD player for a couple of months, I'm left in no doubt that this is Kela's permanent marker, if you get my drift. If you're expecting a pure showcase of Kela's faultless beatboxing skills, you might just be dissapointed. Sure, there is a whole array of quality beats, but just as an MC doesn't release an LP of just lyrics, a beatboxer doesn't release an LP of just beatboxing. This album has it all: beatboxing, MC'ing, singing, sound imitation and more. Welcome to the world of multivocalism.

Hip hop features as the dominant influence, but the album is kept well-balanced and eclectic in reach, with other genres like drum and bass also playing an important role. And there's a whole load of guests. Normski, Harry Love, Fallacy, Akrobatik and Plus One all feature amongst others, and together they give this record an edge that makes it totally unique and fresh. The Permanent Marker has 10 tracks, including Heavy Artillery and the new Splinter remix of Crop Circles. There's a few short fillers, including an intro and a couple of skits. My favourite track is called 'Check One'. It starts with some raw beatbox, and builds up gradually with Kela's trademark bassline coming in early on. Kela then comes in on the vocals for the chorus, and the track finally drops on a heavy drum and bass tip. This works superbly and Kela gets the balance of vocal percussion and traditional song making just right. You know you are listening to something new.

Also hitting heavy is 'Boom Accessory', which features Fallacy and Harry Love. UK hip hop right from the start, this tune wastes no time dropping the beat. The MC's hold this one together for what is overall a solid tune. Also worthy of notation is a track called 'Step Then' which has the Audio Cooks on keys. A chilled out groove which features some fine vocal scratching and turntable sounds. One criticism is that The Permanent Marker is too short, the CD is finished before you know it. But as they say, its quality not quantity. Still, a few more tracks would have been nice, or perhaps a few more beatbox freestyles to please us die-hards. Kela obviously sits firmly at the controls of this tank, but sometimes its easy to forget he is carrying it all along with his vocal skills. He is both the artist and the instrument. If you were to play this to someone who thought the steel was real and didn't know it was Killa Kela, I wouldn't blame them. This album is essential listening. Make sure you get a copy.

Sources/references/links

Killa Kela's website