The follow-up to their groundbreaking debut,
Done By the Forces of Nature
is the point where
the Jungle Brothers
' production catches up to their musical ambition. There's still a ruddy,
lo-fi
edge to the record, but the samples are more abundant and intricately woven, and there's an altogether fuller sound that gives the group a greater presence. Moreover, the group's non-musical ideas come into greater focus as well.
The Native Tongues
' Afrocentric philosophy gets a more extensive airing here than on the debut, filling the record with positive consciousness-raising, both cultural (
"Acknowledge Your Own History,"
"Black Woman,"
"Beyond This World"
) and spiritual (the title cut,
"In Dayz 2 Come"
); there are even the occasional lyrical asides concerning good dietary habits. All of this makes
Done by the Forces of Nature
one of the most intellectual
hip-hop
albums released up to that point, but as before, the group tempered their cerebral bent with a healthy sense of humor and fun. Thanks to the improved production,
the J.Beez
are able to take it to the dancefloor better than ever before, and toss in some pure, good-time, booty-shaking grooves in the hits
"What U Waitin' For"
and
"U Make Me Sweat."
There's also
"Belly Dancin' Dina,"
a narrative that echoes the playful come-ons of the debut, and proves that progressive thinking and respect for women don't necessarily have to cool the libido. Late in the album, the posse cut
"Doin' Our Own Dang"
offers the chance to hear most of
the Native Tongues
--
Tribe
,
De La
, and
Latifah
-- dropping rhymes all in one place. Through it all,
construct an eclectic musical backdrop borrowed from
jazz
, early
R&B
funk
, African music, and more. Even if
Straight out the Jungle
was the historical landmark,
feels more realized in many respects, and is arguably the more satisfying listen. ~ Steve Huey