Illustration by Joe Nguyen

Angelic Siren | The Infuser | The Shadow | Triumvirate | Terminal Velocity

Truimvirate
Joe Nguyen, editor
Feb. 4, 2007

It’s not often that an unsigned group makes it onto the soundtrack of wide release movie.

But that’s what happened for the Far-East Movement when their song, “Round Round,” was featured on the soundtrack to “The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift.” In the California rap trio’s debut album, Folk Music, the group shows off its lyrical talents over a combination of laid-back and floor-thumping beats.

In “Get Offa Me,” the trio teams up with rapper Trek Life in this humorous, yet social conscious song about being discriminated by the police. The intricate bassline serves as the melody while high guitar riffs accompany it.

The group raps about wanting to fall in love in “No One’s Home for the Holidays.” It features laid-back, smooth guitar plucks with slow grainy percussions. The best part is that the group pays homage to LL Cool J’s singles anthem, “I Need Love,” by reciting a number of his rhymes in their second verse.

Cello rocker Ken Oak teams up with the group in “Smile.” It opens with sharp-string strikes and echoic vocals from Oak that create a haunting ambiance. It is the darkest song on the album.

In a hip-hop music scene that’s been cluttered by homogeneous southern beats with lyrics that lack substance, the Far-East Movement provides a refreshing and unique sound. >> continue to Terminal Velocity

Joe Nguyen is the editor in chief for asiaXpress.com. You can contact Joe via e-mail at joe@asiaxpress.com.