The hip-hop scene in Madison can be an elusive mistress. A series of violent incidents turned club owners against the genre in recent years. Yet, hip-hop has survived and even thrived in basements and backroom, nurtured by dedicated artists. In his recent release, Vanishing Point, El Guante attempts to bring hip-hop out of the shadows and back into the city’s discourse.
“Vanishing Point is my second album and first real attempt at crafting a cohesive, engaging album out of individual songs,” said the UW-Madison senior, also known as Kyle Myhre. “Lyrically, it’s a concept album; the end of the world is the main theme, and every song touches on endings and perspective in some way.” A publicly active individual, El Guante got his rhyming start in spoken-word poetry and participates in a number of local activist projects. Hip-hop is just one of the many ways the emcee gets his opinions and messages out to the public.
Diverse beats are infused into Vanishing Point, ranging from numerous piano-driven tracks to the almost call-and-response chant of “Loot.” While remaining cohesive, the album stays fresh and entertains the audience. “Music is, first and foremost, about communication, and I write my songs with the listener in mind. Listener is a key word; some emcees write as though people were going to be sitting down, sifting through all their complex metaphors and wordplay and shit. It’s not like that … people listen to hip-hop in a specific atmosphere and context most of the time.”
In contrast to most popular hip-hop songs, Vanishing Point has a notable absence of bravado-based songs. While most rap artists spend their time proclaiming their skills and flashing their cash, El Guante focuses instead on the conceptual framework that informs Vanishing Point. “Personally, I’m just not very good at writing those types of rhymes, so I don’t do it very much. I’m much more of a conceptual emcee — I need to have some kind of focus.”
His poetry roots form a foundation that is reflected in his music. “For the most part I’m a lot more interested in poetry, politics and especially storytelling, a crucial aspect of emceeing that gets neglected a lot today. Most importantly, I try to find the balance between blunt and abstract.” His music tows the line well, appealing to casual listeners as well as those who look for more subtle lyrical ability.
Surprisingly, the three spoken word tracks on Vanishing Point are more than just a cue to hit the fast forward button. Their flow and delivery are particularly impressive, so much so that “spoken word” may be a bit of an understatement. They become extensions of his soul, interjecting pure emotion into a heartfelt flow of lyrics.
The development between El Guante’s first album and Vanishing Point is more than apparent. He has moved beyond the electronic beatbox and synth backgrounds of his first album and graduated to a sample-based rhythm. The recording equipment is more sophisticated, more professional, allowing his skill to come through clear and intense.
Nowhere is that skill more apparent than in his delivery. A mellow ripple, El Guante’s flow comes across smooth, like peanut butter across bread, broken only by the occasional rhythmic chunk. His style reflects his influences: Boots Riley, Lauryn Hill, Cee-Lo, Big Pun, Pharcyde and Mos Def. “These are all people I look up to both in terms of content and delivery. Vocally, I like to mix in some melody with the rapping and flow with a minimum of dead space. I like complex rhyme schemes, but I don’t usually use them just for the hell of it — content always comes first.”
As oblivion begins to dominate the album, permeating the first few tracks and delving into questions of frustration and meaning, El Guante answers with a song about unabashed romance. On “New Moon,” “Happy Here” and “If,” the feeling shifts and grooves into ears, flows into hearts.
The dreary theme, while still tinged with irony, becomes infiltrated by love and humor. “If the revolution never comes, let’s overthrow our clothes / and topple some tyranny on our own.” The creative songs are a refreshing modification of a perspective that could be on the verge of mere depression.
El Guante’s latest album is a truly positive and different musical experience. He engages his impressive musical talents with a keen understanding of social issues, confronting both the dark and light aspects of the human condition. That combination creates a unique and compelling accomplishment.
Vanishing Point is for sale on the web at www.guante.net and www.cdbaby.com/elguante, and at various local stores, including the Den.
— Charles Parsons contributed to this article