That’s right kids. Thirteen years in the making, and it’s time for Deltron Zero to, once again, restore peace and sanity to a futuristic dystopia. Event II, the second studio release from hip-hop group Deltron 3030, depicts a futuristic totalitarian society and its eventual rehabilitation. The depiction is very tongue-in-cheek, as it begins with a monologue introduction, narrated by actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt, a la William Shatner in the opening scene of a Star Trek episode.
Deltron 3030 is a collaborative hip-hop group, comprised of producer Dan the Automator, turntablist Kid Koala, and rapper Del the Funky Homosapien. In 2000, the group released an eponymous concept album that introduced the character Deltron Zero (portrayed by Del the Funky Homosapien) reviving a corrupt, brainwashed society in the year 3030. Rumors of a second album began as early as 2006, when Kid Koala posted to his website, saying that he had completed his turntable portions of Event II. After a series of delays, Event II was finally released on September 30, 2013, thirteen years after the first Deltron 3030 album.
As a concept album, Event II is very loosely constructed around a resurrected Deltron Zero, as Deltron Osiris, and his efforts to undermine an authoritarian government. The album starts by setting the scene, as Deltron observes the society in “The Return” and “Pay the Price.” Of course, “The Return” could also refer to the return of Deltron 3030, as the chorus proudly boasts “It’s the return, check it… Deltron Zero and Automator.” The spacey synthesizer of “The Return” is a pivotal musical quality on Event II, setting the mood for Deltron’s intergalactic rhyming.
Unfortunately, the plot of Event II never fully develops. The music is great, as Del’s lyrics flow eloquently through spacey beats, but each track seems to be merely a different depiction of this dystopic society. Some of these depictions are pointed, intense criticisms that could easily be applied to modern-day corruptions, yet others are meant to be humorous. The album contains two tracks, entitled “Lawnchair Quarterback” (Parts 1 and 2), which feature actors David Cross and Amber Tamblyn conversing about Hover Sandwiches and pill-form dinners over a subtle synthesizer background. Another track, “Back in the Day,” features the members of Lonely Island as old space-people, rapping about how things were “back in the day before time travel was easy-peasy.”
These breaks are humorous, but exemplify Event II’s lack of focus as a concept album. Individually, some of the songs on this album raise serious arguments about deep societal issues, like greed, corruption, environmental conservation, and the depletion of natural resources. The music and rhymes on these tracks are fluid, and are a clear representation of Del the Funky Homosapien’s natural poetic abilities. The featured guests (of which there are many) add critical stylistic elements, like Damon Albarn’s emotional singing in the chorus of “What Is This Loneliness,” the haunting backup vocals of Emily Wells on “My Only Love,” and even Chef David Chang’s monologue on “The Future of Food.”
After thirteen years of hype, Deltron 3030’s efforts will not go unnoticed, but, fans hoping for a revival of Deltron 3030 will be somewhat disappointed. There are a lot of good tracks, but Event II lacks cohesion. Still, it is fun, and definitely worth a listen.