This is the follow-up album that the eternal classic Dr. Octagonecologyst deserved, and that 2006’s barely completed The Return of Dr. Octagon failed to deliver.
Tracks like the lead single ‘Octagon Octagon’, the relentless head-knocker ‘Area 54’ and the gloriously uncomfortable ‘Operation Zero’ perfectly epitomise the character’s signature off-kilter ‘boom-bap on acid’ sound. While the heavy grind of ‘Karma Sutra’ and ‘Hollywood Tailswinging’ bring a whole new level of straight up menace to the proceedings. ‘Polka Dots’ and ‘Power of the World’ feel like classic Octagonecologyst offcuts which is more than I can say for any of the tracks on The Return. Octagon even gets to meet one of his greatest contemporaries in fictional hip-hop personas, with Del Tha Funkee Homosapien resurrecting his classic character Deltron 3030 on the aptly titled ‘3030 Meets the Doc’.
The only negative about Moosebumps is that it feels like between drinks, the group have lost some of that warped, psychedelic edge that made classic cuts like ‘Blue Flowers’ and ‘Halfsharkalligatorhalfman’ shine. But what the album lacks in psychedelia, it more than makes up for with deep layers of musty grime so thick that you could grease your hair with it. Take a bow, gents – you did Dr. Octagon proud.
8/10
By Joshua Turk
