- Last June, the first of three peculiar music videos by Strange U appeared on Eglo's YouTube channel. No explanation was given, but some speculated it was a new moniker of UK hip-hop veteran Kashmere The Iguana Man. After the emergence of a second video five days later, Kashmere was confirmed as Strange U, and Boot Records affiliates Jazz T, Dr Zygote and Cross Bone T were credited with production.
Originally released on a limited 12-inch in February, Strange U's debut, Scarlet Jungle, presents the tracks from the videos alongside three new cuts. Throughout the EP, the percussion is fractured and raw; El-P's productions for Company Flow and Cannibal Ox immediately come to mind. The lyrics, however, remain distinctly British, with plenty of street colloquialisms. The video tracks—"Klaatu Barada Nikto", "Bad Trip Parent" and "Scarlet Jungle"—are the more resonating numbers, but the rest is far from filler.
TracklistA1 Klaatu Barada Nikto
A2 Plastique
A3 Weird Dreams
B1 Scarlet Jungle
B2 Bad Trip Parent
B3 Rancid Canvas Licks