Album Review: Die Antwoord - Mount Ninji and da Nice Time Kid
By Alex Sherry, Contributor [Zef; 2016] Rating: 4.5/10 Key Tracks: “Peanutbutter + Jelly,” “Alien,” “Street Light” South African rap-rave trio Die Antwoord has potential. The unique blend of Yolandi Visser’s fast bouncy verses and Ninja’s slow and focused flow create a contrast that can be enjoyable at times, but after years of much of the same can begin to feel overdone. The group looks to redefine their style and show that they are capable of producing something great with their fourth studio album Mount Ninji and da Nice Time Kid. Most of the tracks on this record are supposed to be comedic and cartoonish, but they just end up feeling childish even for Die Antwoord’s standards. The song “Wings on My Penis” is rapped by a child and, yes, it's just as awful as it sounds. This is really upsetting because there are some good tracks near the end of the record that are completely different than what we get at the beginning. The first half contains breaks and whole tracks dedicated to this confusing story that feels forced and uncomfortable due to the lowbrow middle school humor. This split in the record kills the flow making it nearly impossible to recommend.
Tracks like “Peanutbutter + Jelly” and “Alien” really stand out breaking from the formula we come to expect from Die Antwoord allowing Yolandi and Ninja to shine by performing songs with out the other one cutting a verse. Self proclaimed “Zef” group Die Antwoord are all about challenging the norm, but their fourth album feels more uninspired than groundbreaking. Boasting a slew of cringe worthy carnival themed tracks and headache inducing trap beats, Mount Ninji and da Nice Time Kid fails to be the defining album the group promised. There are good tracks on this album, but they are few and far between.
