Wheelchair Sports Camp – oh imperfecta LP (Alternative Tentacles)

Wheelchair Sports Camp is one of the most distinct, independent, and radical underground live hip-hop acts you could possibly stumble upon in the contemporary music scene. The band is fronted by Kalyn Heffernan, a queer, wheelchair-using MC, beatmaker, and uncompromising activist. Kalyn possesses a razor-sharp, high-pitched delivery, and her lyrics mix biting sarcasm, wit, pot jokes, and heavy socio-political consciousness. Backed by her musical partner Gregg Ziemba (aka “Greggy”) on drums and Joshua Trinidad’s vibrant trumpet work, Kalyn creates fresh, unique, innovative, and exceptional hip hop music. And we heard so many hip-hop projects over the years, but no one combines social-political commentary, sarcasm, punk rock aggression, smooth jazz experimentations, and fundamental industrial aesthetics like Wheelchair Sports Camp. It’s a one-of-a-kind listening experience that challenges you to think outside the box and take a stand against injustices that are inflicted upon mankind on a daily basis. With “oh imperfecta,” their latest full-length album released via legendary Alternative Tentacles, they step further into experimentation, empowered by the guest appearances of Jello Biafra, Radio Pete, Amy Goodman, RAREBYRD$, Kimya Dawson, Olivia Jean, Junia-T, and Michelle Rocquet. Across sixteen thoughtfully, cleverly, tastefully assembled compositions, Wheelchair Sports Camp showcases its impressive lyrical and sonic range.

To be honest, this is how Crass would sound if they ever took a step beyond their art school anarcho punk sound and went more into hip-hop, jazz, lounge, punk rock, industrial, avant-garde, and experimental waters. With a raw, abrasive, aggressive, socio-politically charged attitude and lyricism, hip-hop chants and rhymes, ultimately precise industrial, mechanical rhythmic sequences that range from half-time to upbeat patterns, jazz improvisations, and occasional lounge atmospheric pads, Wheelchair Sports Camp not only showcases their impressive musical knowledge but also challenges what hip-hop and punk rock music could and should be nowadays. It’s nearly mindblowing how this material goes from calm, soothing, relaxing, ethereal moments to more raw, unfiltered, aggressive, powerful segments in a matter of seconds, but even during those aggressive moments, these folks find their ways to challenge your listening apparatus with even stranger vocal deliveries, weird melodies, odd harmonies, dissonant riffs, and odd-time rhyhtmic patterns. Their music is food for thought by all possible means, questioning reasoning while delivering fierce social-political commentary. In a world where most music genres carry artists and bands who offer their works in the most deluted, consumable form, Wheelchair Sports Camp forces you to think about every piece of lyric, every theme, melody, harmony, bassline, beat, and sample. If you think about it, music outlets capable of doing it are very rare nowadays.

This combination of various stylistic directions, approaches, techniques, and other details that define the sonic direction of the album plays a significant role in dynamics, pacing, groove, and ambiance. While “oh imperfecta” definitely plays more on its aggressive side, the calmer side also plays a significant role, and those are the moments when this album shines the most. The DIY punk rock side of the spectrum definitely excels in its unfiltered rage, discontent, and urge to criticize all the wrongs of this world, but those jazzy, lounge, ethereal, soothing, relaxing, and calm compositions showcase their impressive creativity, talent, skills, musicianship, and overall musical knowledge and broad interests. “oh imperfecta” plays on that transition from a packed, sweaty DIY punk rock show to luxuriant jazz kissa, without ever loosing that recognizable flow that defines Wheelchair Sports Camp sound. The way Jello Biafra, Radio Pete, Amy Goodman, RAREBYRD$, Kimya Dawson, Olivia Jean, Junia-T, and Michelle Rocquet meld into those collaborative songs is also worth the praise. Yes, they are guests on this material, but their performances feel so organic, natural, like they were part of this band for decades. Everything is written, composed, arranged, recorded, and produced so smoothly that the exceptional listening experience is more than guaranteed.

Therefore, if you’re looking for a socio-politically conscious hip-hop album empowered with the fundamental sonic ingredients borrowed from punk rock, jazz, lounge, and industrial, experimental, and avant-garde, “oh imperfecta” will be right up your alley. It’s a brilliant showcase of Wheelchair Sports Camp’s experience, knowledge, skills, talent, creativity, packed in sixteen catchy, memorable, captivating songs. Head to the Alternative Tentacles webstore for more information about ordering.