Noise and rap have been intertwined for a long time; it wouldn’t be hard to make the argument that, since the genre’s near beginnings, rap has wielded abrasion as a major part of its sonic arsenal. Just listen to the seminal “Beat Bop” by Rammellzee and K-Rob, which was produced by Jean-Michel Basquiat, for one of many early examples. With that said: the past few decades have seen a new noise rap language form and reconfigure, spanning from Dälek to B L A C K I E to the rap duo Armand Hammer. Absurd Matter 2, the new release from the Berlin-based Italian producer shapednoise, seems to be solidly in that lineage.

The project’s splattered, crumbling beats provide an ideal sonic backdrop for an all-star cast of experimental-minded rappers to do whatever they feel like. That the record kicks off with a turn from the aforementioned Armand Hammer should give you an idea of what kind of terrain this album is going to cover. According to a press release, the first volume of the Absurd Matter series was a reaction to the producer’s “perceptual renegotiation triggered by Ménière’s disease.” The second, though, goes deeper into intricate sonics and beats that, while still abrasive, have a sense of nuance; the producer is responding to his reality with new texture. They bring out the best in every MC featured.