Brad Strut’s approach is always grimdark. When he’s rapping about something incongruous like Monopoly – as on his last album – it fits badly. When he’s rapping about the end of the world it’s a much better match. The first disc here is a concept piece about surviving nuclear war, so there’s not much cheer expected. Beat Butcha’s production sounds a lot more varied than what Strut’s worked with before, especially the classical organ on highlight track No! Its radiation-sickness fever-dream lyrics like the rambling, "I gotta say it honest / in a spot of bother, bothered / only wanna really vomit" are among his best delivered. Amid all the depression comes Believe, a lone note of positivity. He had to go to the very bottom to find it, but it’s nice to hear a note of hope and to discover Strut’s capable of it. The last half of Fallout Shelter is an instrumental reprise, further highlighting Butcha’s vital contribution. If you’re looking for an alternate soundtrack for your next playthrough of Fallout 3, this is it. Disc two remixes Strut’s older material and does it some huge favours – those that experiment with left-field elements like Bollywood and piano concertos especially. None of these tracks are as lyrically interesting as those on Fallout Shelter, but the work of remixers M-Phazes, Dazastah, Simplex and others are definite improvements. When the topic’s as grim as his style, and the backing is uniformly excellent, Strut’s worth listening to.

***

JODY MACGREGOR

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