dälek's music is dark, noisy and atmospheric, equally inspired by industrial music like Einstürzende Neubauten, the layered noise of My Bloody Valentine and the dense sound collages of Public Enemy. Their sound is often constructed through sampling and a musical base atypical of most hip-hop, making it difficult for people to classify their sound. They have been described as trip hop, glitch-hop, and metal-shoegaze-hip-hop, as well as criticized for their broad range of sound.
MC dälek described the group's music to the Chicago Sun-Times:
“It's purely hiphop, in the purest sense. If you listen to what hiphop has historically been, it was all about digging in different crates and finding different sounds, and finding different influences to create. If Afrika Bambaataa wasn't influenced by Kraftwerk, we wouldn't have 'Planet Rock'. So, in that sense, what we do is strictly hiphop.”
“If there is a difference, it's that the palette of sounds we work with is more varied than what has been called hiphop in the last 10 years. Somehow, as hiphop grew, it's been put into this box. I think it's funny when people are like "That's not hiphop. It's this and this and this." You can try to rationalize it as whatever you want to rationalize it as."
Studio albums:
• Negro Necro Nekros (1998)
• From Filthy Tongue of Gods and Griots (2002)
• Absence (2004)
• Abandoned Language (2007)
• Gutter Tactics (2009)
• Untitled (2010)
• Asphalt for Eden (2016)
• Endangered Philosophies (2017)
• Precipice (2022)
Collaborations, EPs and compilations:
• Megaton / Classic Homicide (2000) Split collaboration with Techno Animal.
• Ruin It (2002) In collaboration with Kid 606.
• Dälek vs. Velma (2002) Split collaboration with Velma.
• Derbe Respect, Alder (2004) In collaboration with Faust.
• Streets All Amped (2006)
• My Education vs. Dälek (2007) In collaboration with My Education.
• Deadverse Massive Vol. 1 (2007) Rarities 1999-2006.
• Griots and Gods - Les Eurockeennes Festival Belfort (2010) Live collaboration with The Young Gods.
Armed With Krylon
Dälek Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Existence got me vexed, it's miraculous I slept
Bent light fall out of frame, this pertain to sole function
Maintain a child's wonder wit soul old like earth under
Measured man's worth by highest standards
Candid movements remembered by that vicious slander
He who asks the most questions got the most answers
Touch nerve with paranoids devoid of joy
Remain your basic B-Boy with a love for noise
Through the wildest situations retain my poise
Perfect pitch in paragraphs that I spit
Microphones get ripped with syllables full of deeper definitions
Divisive speech patterns, switch so people listen
I carry on traditions, indicative of status
A street scholar raised spinning wax platters
I could spend days diggin' through crates
Love that dusty ass vinyl smell
Come out the shop straight dirt
Shattered homes spit concrete poems
Armed with Krylon when we roam, niggas got beef?
Go straight for dome, plan to walk streets?
Best you keep your mental honed
Shattered homes spit concrete poems
Armed with Krylon when we roam, niggas got beef?
Go straight for dome, plan to walk streets?
Best you keep your mental honed
I'm that rare mix of intellect injected savagery
Capable of abstract thought, reality remains ingrained illusions
These false revolutions reduce men to stick
Figures rockin' Che Guevara and they think they trend setters
Should know better, letters kept left of center
Shattered homes spit concrete poems
Armed with Krylon when we roam, niggas got beef?
Go straight for dome, plan to walk streets?
Best you keep your mental honed
Shattered homes spit concrete poems
Armed with Krylon when we roam, niggas got beef?
Go straight for dome, plan to walk streets?
Best you keep your mental honed
Shattered homes spit concrete poems
Armed with Krylon when we roam, niggas got beef?
Go straight for dome, plan to walk streets?
Best you keep your mental honed
Shattered homes spit concrete poems
Armed with Krylon when we roam, niggas got beef?
Go straight for dome, plan to walk streets?
Best you keep your mental honed
The first verse of dälek's "Armed With Krylon" touches on the existential angst and wonder of life, with the artist lamenting his own vexation and marveling at his ability to sleep through it. He then remarks on the strange nature of light, which can bend and fall out of frame, and suggests that its sole function is to maintain a sense of childlike wonder in those who observe it. The verse ends on the idea that while man tends to measure worth by the highest standards, the most questions tend to yield the most answers, and information is often tampered with in some way.
The second verse addresses the artist's status as a "paranoid devoid of joy," who nevertheless retains a love for creating and listening to noisy music. Despite this love for chaos, dälek is able to maintain his poise in even the wildest situations and deliver pitch-perfect raps full of deeper meaning. He speaks of himself as a street scholar, raised on spinning wax platters and digging through dusty vinyl crates. The chorus then arrives, repeating the phrase "shattered homes spit concrete poems, armed with Krylon when we roam" as a way of asserting the power of graffiti as a form of artistic and political expression.
Line by Line Meaning
Connect with left to solar plexus
Make a strong physical and emotional connection with another person by striking them in the solar plexus with your left hand.
Existence got me vexed, it's miraculous I slept
I am deeply bothered by the fact of my existence, and it is a wonder that I am able to sleep at all.
Bent light fall out of frame, this pertain to sole function
The bending of light causes it to fall out of its frame of reference, and this relates to the function of a sole individual.
Maintain a child's wonder wit soul old like earth under
Strive to keep the sense of wonder and curiosity of a child, even with a soul that has been around as long as the earth itself.
Measured man's worth by highest standards
A person's worth should be judged by the most elevated and demanding criteria.
Candid movements remembered by that vicious slander
Honest actions are often tainted by hurtful rumors and slander.
He who asks the most questions got the most answers
The person who asks the most questions is usually the one who receives the most answers.
Never one to pander but these files are tampered
I don't try to please others, but sometimes important files are manipulated.
Touch nerve with paranoids devoid of joy
Paranoid people who lack joy are easily agitated and affected by certain words or actions.
Remain your basic B-Boy with a love for noise
Stay true to your roots as a breakdancer, and maintain a passion for sound and music.
Through the wildest situations retain my poise
Even in the most intense and unpredictable situations, I manage to stay calm and composed.
Perfect pitch in paragraphs that I spit
My spoken words are delivered with a perfect tone and emphasis, like a musician with perfect pitch.
Microphones get ripped with syllables full of deeper definitions
The words I speak into a microphone are filled with deeper meanings and connotations that may not be immediately apparent.
Divisive speech patterns, switch so people listen
I use speech patterns that grab people's attention and make them listen closely, even if they are controversial or divisive.
I carry on traditions, indicative of status
I continue to uphold traditional values and practices, which shows my elevated social status.
A street scholar raised spinning wax platters
I am a scholar of the streets, having been raised playing and mixing vinyl records on turntables.
I could spend days diggin' through crates
I could spend many days searching through record crates for the perfect vinyl selections.
Love that dusty ass vinyl smell
I enjoy the smell of old and dusty vinyl records.
Come out the shop straight dirt
After spending time in a record store, I come out covered in dust and dirt.
Shattered homes spit concrete poems
Broken homes can inspire powerful and raw expressions in the form of concrete poetry.
Armed with Krylon when we roam, niggas got beef?
We carry spray paint (Krylon) with us when we wander around, ready for any confrontations or altercations.
Go straight for dome, plan to walk streets?
If someone has a problem with us, we immediately go for their head and are always prepared to navigate the dangerous streets.
Best you keep your mental honed
It's important to keep your mind sharp and aware in difficult and potentially dangerous situations.
I'm that rare mix of intellect injected savagery
I possess both high levels of intelligence and an innate, savage nature.
Capable of abstract thought, reality remains ingrained illusions
I am capable of thinking in abstract ways, but even so, the reality around me is still deeply ingrained in my consciousness as an illusion.
These false revolutions reduce men to stick
The revolutions that are touted as transformative and revolutionary ultimately reduce men to insignificant and powerless beings.
Figures rockin' Che Guevara and they think they trend setters
People who wear Che Guevara attire or items think they are trendsetters or revolutionary, however, they do not understand the true meaning of Che Guevara's philosophy.
Should know better, letters kept left of center
These people should be more educated and informed, but they have left-leaning views that they cannot let go of.
Contributed by Micah A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
damien massin
sloow,deep,dark,eargasmik
Luix
hiphopgaze
Alos21
@chonomakona both of them ;)
ctfmonexe
sup /mu/