Quarashi
[#] Jinx (2002)
Don't blame the copycat.
Reviewed April 6, 2025
Here's a real funky concept: Icelandic rap rock. You can detect it in the accents of Hössi Ólafsson and Ómar Örn Hauksson and their uniquely ESL way around a phrase ("Jump back, get back/Or else you're getting a smack in the face"). Considered a novelty act at the height of rap rock at best and an exotic copy of the Beastie Boys at worst, I have a sneaking suspicion it's not their faults. Sure, there are chunky guitars, aggro flows, silly, stupid lyrics ("I'm here to stay like the warts on your dick", anyone?), and these aren't bad taken for what they are—but look more into the details and you'll see a more interesting, experimental Quarashi no doubt suppressed by their major label overlords.
Start with "Tarfur". The single track actually written in Icelandic, while I don't suspect the words are any smarter than the ones in English, it does smooth out their flows, and the ghostly female hook adds a nice trip-hop touch to the track. In general, Sölvi Blöndal's production across Jinx is excellent, through the gigantic brass band behind "Mr. Jinx" (Madden 2003, anyone?) or the groovy minor key shuffles on "Transparent Parents" or "Malone Lives" that turn Cypress Hill's baked beats into their own thing. Perhaps the biggest disappointment of all is the radiating, crystalline "Dive In" towards the end. Sung slowly instead of rapped harshly, in larger quantities, its sad, pretty dynamic would've perfectly balanced out Jinx's trendier confrontational tendencies.
| Essential: | "Mr. Jinx", "Transparent Parents", "Dive In" |
|---|---|
| Quintessential: | "Xeneizes" |
| Non-Essential: | "Weirdo" |
| Rating: |  |