Concorde 2, 18th January 2009

Ugly Duckling never quite became the beautiful hip-hop swans their debut album, “Journey to Anywhere” promised. Numerous label switches and patchy follow-ups meant a chequered ascendancy, but as tonight’s performance at the Concorde testifies, the West Coast 3-piece is back on form. Treading a neat line between the playful B-boy style of the Beasties and the intelligent lyricism of People Under the Stairs, Ugly Duckling takes you back to the halcyon days of hip hop – a stripped-down display of skilful MCing and turntablism with the emphasis firmly on fun.

Dizzy effortlessly trades flows and witty wordplay with fellow MC Andy as they jostle for the limelight and fire off a volley of tracks from their back catalogue – the infectious horn licks of “Just a Little Samba” morph seamlessly into “Eyes on the Gold Chain”, both mocking the obsessive materialism of mainstream rappers and the ludicrousness of gangster posturing. Their verbal dexterity is equally matched by Einstein’s superlative turntabling skills – his hands a blur of vinyl manipulation and cross-fading flurry. Splicing everything from retro soul to gritty funk, he constantly shifts the beat; syncopating, breaking and distorting it. The catchy hooks and bouncy beats, mixed with the trio’s energy and magnetism, quickly ignites the crowd, leading one guy to storm the stage and freestyle (so convincingly I thought he was a stooge) on “Shoot Your Shot”.

Their set ended with a few tracks from their new album, “Audacity”, a more mature, complex and meditative take on life, meaning and time. The slamming drum breaks and melodic chord progression of “I Won’t Let It Die” provides the perfect backdrop to Andy’s insightful lyrics, while the atmospheric “End of Time” effortlessly bubbles with swooping celestial strings and an ethereal cosmic sound.

Ugly Duckling’s old skool approach offers a refreshing respite from contemporary hip-hop, much of which has been cannibalised by bloodless r’n’b and violent braggadocio. Whilst not particularly fashionable or groundbreaking, their tight party jams and feel-good raps serve as a timely reminder of the original elements of hip-hop, where substance came before style and rhymes were more important than crimes.

Words by David Gallienne

Photography by Paul Mulley