"Searching for an alternative, the Boogiemonsters find music and go all out on their debut album. What makes Riders Of The Storm: The Underwater Album one of the most satisfying cool-out albums since the Tribe's last effort, is how they successfully sustain their vibe through all 12 songs. The Boogie's soul and funk excursions never exceed the tempo of meditative cipher. The four MCs - Mondo, Vex, Yodared and Mynthric - mesh fine flows to music that's dark, groovy and eclectic. Few rappers are willing to submerge their voices (their egos!) for the sake of musical continuity and this unifying theme keeps the album moving seamlessly. The Boogiemonsters are true to their names and give you much bounce..." Revisit "Recognized Thresholds of Negative Stress", article cont'd below...
"The Boogiemonsters are New Yorkers who hooked up at Virginia State University. In the video for their butter first single, "Threshold," they meditate on anger ("negative stress") under clear blue skies on a huge farm. The Virginia sun must have melted the self-hate and limited vision that most hip-hopper's celebrate and allowed the Boogies to reflect on where the monsters within really come from... For horror-core fans, there's "Old Man Jacob's Well," a murder tale told from the perspective of the killer and his intended child victim. A Jimi Hendrix-like guitar solo accompanies the narrative-like Greek chorus. The result? Melancholy over thrill. In replacing hip-hop's usual preoccupation with rage and self-destruction with restraint and detachment, Riders Of The Storm makes good on a simple idea: escapism through cool music." - The Source, October 1994.
