For some reason, British artist DJ Format never caught on in the States they way I thought he would. He’s certainly respected by other artists, as evidenced by his collaborations with the likes of Mr. Lif, Edan, Chali 2na, and Akil. He also worked with Ruben Fleischer to drop one of my favorite videos of all time. Maybe if Format came up through the L.A. scene, we’d be talking about him amongst contemporaries like Cut Chemist or Z-Trip. Whatever the reason, Format is back once again with another album of solid hip hop. Maybe this time people over here will take notice.

There is a celebration of old school hip hop with Format, and his work with Sureshot La Rock on this album helps reinforce that, but closer inspection to Statement of Intent reveals more layers to his sound. Don’t get me wrong, Format is a deejay first and foremost, skilled in the arts of digging for vinyl and rocking a party, and I love that part of him. However, if you spend some quality time with this record, you’ll find elements that flesh out his sound in different directions. His work with Edan on “Space Earth” are the first hint at expansion, as psychedelic guitars and reverb heavy vocals accent frantic drum beats that keep the party moving. This leads into “Copper Canyons,” a slower instrumental number with guitar and keys trading licks in an early DJ Shadow fashion. “Battle of the Planets” with The Simnsound explores the early experimental electro-funk/hip hop of Afrika Bambaataa and Herbie Hancock. His work with The Nostalgia 77 Quintet on “Notes in Quotation” and “The Long Goodbye” are essentially straight ahead jazz/funk and bebop songs, respectively. “Horse Power” demonstrates the link between boogie and funk to hip hop, with energy so high, if you’re not dancing, you’re probably dead. “Mayor of a Ghost Town” might be the strongest track on the album, and certainly implies that Format could successfully make an instrumental album if he wanted to.

All of this is great, but we can’t get around talking about Sureshot La Rock while discussing Statement of Intent. He appears on six tracks, and certainly helps shape the sound of the record and give it that party-rockin’, old school feel. Sureshot has been around a while, but never really found a place to thrive as an emcee. However, after meeting Format through a Diggers With Gratitude mixtape project, the two found that they had really great chemistry. La Rock certainly understands what works best with the style of hip hop that Format is throwing down, so he keeps his rhymes and delivery direct and clear, doing his best to draw in listeners to the party. “A Quick Ego Trip” features some great witty braggadocio raps, and “Dope Pusher” has fun playing with the analogy of drugs and music. “Live At The Place To Be” features some great fun trade offs with Phill Most Chill, something so simple but so effective when done right. “Remember…” starts off as an interesting idea as La Rock starts rhyming with the concept that he’s writing a letter to an old friend. I was all aboard with this song, but La Rock drops the ball when he starts talking about some women from his neighborhood in a less than respectful manner. I don’t care if you’re talking about prostitutes that used to work the area you lived in, I don’t need a line talking about their wrinkled old pussy. References to “If Ya Wanna Be Happy” by Jimmy Soul and Bel Biv Devoe’s “Posion” also rub me the wrong way the manner the song discusses women. It’s a shame, because it’s the only track on the album that I can’t get behind. It’s a great concept, but it’s a failure in practice.

DJ Format is a serious talent, and Statement of Intent reinforces that over and over. He can rock a party and lay down funky beats for an emcee, but he can also move into more subtle and introspective instrumental areas as well. With the exception of one song that La Rock brings down with his lyrics, it’s an otherwise fantastic album.